Don't Wait Up For Me
by Bella Gattino
Summary: What does it take for Jake to realize that he's only pretending to not need Bella? What will he do once he realizes that everything in his life revolves around her?
1. Chapter 1

Rated M for Adult Situations and Language... y'all know the drill with me.

If it ain't got sex, it ain't mine.

A huge, no ENORMOUS thank you goes out to Mist, you are the best beta in the world. I couldn't ask for a better one! *hugs and wolfie kisses*

Chapter Banner:

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"Jacob!" Emma screamed as she came and Jacob groaned as he watched her body shake. He watched himself slip into her body, his fingers digging into her as her body clung to him as he pulled from her. He pushed into her one more time before his eyes drifted shut and he emptied his seed. He slipped from her, pulled the condom from his body and tossed it in the trash. He fell to the bed, his breath slowly returning to normal.

"Stay." He looked at her before he sighed and moved to sit on the side of the bed. He felt her move and felt her body press against the length of his back. "Please Jacob, stay the night." He shook his head and he saw her blonde curls out of the corner of his eye. "Why not? Why won't you stay with me?" She pulled back, her pouting only made her French accent more pronounced.

"We've talked about this." He stood from the bed, her nails raking down his back gently as he stood and pulled his jeans from the chair beside the bed.

"No, you told me. We didn't talk." Emma moved stood on her knees and reached out to him. "Come back and we will talk all night." She smirked as she pulled on a belt loop on the back of his jeans. Emma watched him as he slowly pulled his black t-shirt over his head and she knew she had lost him again for the night. She sighed and wondered when she would ever learn. She settled back on the bed and folded her hands in her lap, unconcerned with her nudity. "Is there someone else?" She looked up at him and saw the tense set of his shoulders. She had asked this question before, and she wondered if the answer would be any different this time.

"I've told you, what we share," Jacob sighed. How do you tell someone that you can't love them because you are irrevocably tied to someone else who doesn't, wouldn't maybe even couldn't love you back? "I'm not looking for a forever."

"Who said I'm looking for a forever either?" She asked her voice breaking on the last word.

He turned and looked down at her. He bent kissed her forehead and left the room, making his way out of the apartment.

He stared at the city as it flew by the taxi window. The more he thought about the last few hours the more restless he felt. He wanted things to be simple, he wanted to be happy. He grinned a sarcastic smile, no. He didn't want to just be happy; he wanted to be happy with her. He shook his head, he hadn't been enough for her. She had left, left him and everything else behind and had never looked back.

He felt his own pang of guilt as the annoying little voice in his head screamed at him that he had done the same thing. He had packed up and left. He closed his eyes as he remembered his home, the one he shared with his father. It was nights like this, when it was raining that he missed it almost enough to throw everything he had worked so hard for away, turn tail and head home. But he knew that he couldn't, that he wouldn't. It didn't matter now, she wasn't there anymore but everywhere he looked he saw her. He also knew that it didn't matter where he went, she would always call to him. She would be the only one who would ever be the one for him. He thought back to that day, the day he imprinted on Bella Swan and he couldn't help but smile. He had every intention of telling her, spilling everything to her but Sam, he sighed, Sam had said it wasn't the time, that the time would come.

But even Sam couldn't see that she would leave. No one saw it coming.

One day Bella Swan was just gone. And so was his heart, his happiness and his dreams for the future. Sure he had stayed and waited, believing that she would come back. But after a year, he couldn't stand it anymore. He loaded up his Rabbit and he drove until the motor finally died, until he didn't have the money to fix it.

So here he was five years later, in New York City no less, with a blossoming company and everything he could ever dreamed of, except for one thing. The one thing that he needed, the only thing he craved. Her.

By the time the taxi pulled up outside his apartment building his mood had blackened beyond repair. He shoved forty dollars through the taxi's window and growled, "Keep it." He knew he had overpaid by at least fifteen dollars, but he didn't want to wait for the man to make change. He slide out of the seat, his feet hitting the pavement with a wet clink. He slammed the door shut and headed toward the front door as Carlos slowly attempted to stand to open the door for him.

"Stay where you are Carlos. I'm perfectly capable of opening the door." Jacob spoke softly to the older man. No matter how ill tempered he was, he could never speak harshly to Carlos. He reminded him too much of his Grandfather for that.

"Thank you Mr. Bl- I mean Jacob. This rain is hell on the old joints, but I'm guessing you don't have that problem do you?" Carlos smiled whimsically, remembering his own youth.

"Stay warm Carlos." Jacob called over his shoulder as he entered the building.

"Will do. Will do." Jacob heard Carlos' reply through the door.

Jacob prayed that Jimmy wouldn't be at the security desk tonight, he was not in the mood for the latest run down of who had made out in the elevator this time, and with who. He sighed as Jimmy called his name.

"Jake! My man!" Jimmy called out to him, his Brooklyn accent thick, and stood, while he sucked in his beer belly.

"Got an early morning. I'll see you tomorrow?" He knew if he asked, Jimmy would never assume the real reason why he didn't want to talk to him.

"You got it, man! I've got some news." Jimmy wiggled his eyebrows while motioning to the screens behind him.

"Sounds good." Jacob replied and pressed the up button repeatedly. He waved back to Jimmy as he stepped into the lift and pressed the button for the twenty-second floor. He could have run the stairs, beat the elevator and not been out of breath but he needed to have as normal of a life as he could.

He slid his key into the lock, pushed the door open and heard the phone ringing. He looked across the room at the clock, twenty after twelve? Who the hell... He felt his heart drop as he raced to the phone.

"Dad? Are you okay?" He spoke into the phone before he had it at his ear.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Billy asked perplexed.

"It's twenty after twelve," Jacob paused as he realized it was only a little past nine in La Push, "Never mind."

"My boy is forgetting about time zones now?" Billy asked with a laugh.

"No, it's just been a rough day." Jacob replied and sat down heavily in the couch and stretched his long legs out propping his feet on the coffee table in front of him.

He hadn't turned the lights on and he watched as lightening flashed outside the windows of his apartment and he couldn't help but feel smug. Even the weather mirrored his emotions.

"Everything okay?"

"Of course. Did you get everything taken care of?" Jacob knew his dad had a meeting today with the Tribal Elders.

"Yes, everything is taken care of. The latest book of Quileute traditions will be started in a few weeks."

"Good." As soon as Jacob had had the money he had requested the Elders to start writing the legends of his tribe. He had payed for the publication, but none of them had been prepared for the demand the books has caused. This would be their fourth book, and they were already had numerous pre-sales completed.

"But that is not why I called." Jacob could hear the smile in his father's voice and he waited patiently for him to continue. Just as he was about to ask him why he had called he heard his father take a breath, "Bella is coming home."

Jacob inhaled sharply, her name always caused his heart to race but he trampled it down, "Well that's nice."

"That's nice?" Billy repeated shocked at his son's disinterest in his own imprint.

"I'm sorry Dad. I really am, but I can't keep jumping every time Charlie says she's coming home." Jacob ran his hand down his face, suddenly exhausted. He didn't have to tell Billy what he meant, Charlie had on numerous occasions informed Billy that Bella would be coming home, and as always, she would have some problem at work, or some emergency that she just couldn't step away from. The last time had been Christmas, and it was a memory Jacob didn't want to remember again. He shook his head to disperse the thought, "I'm sorry."

"I understand son but I wouldn't have called you if I wasn't sure."

"What makes you think that this time is any different?" Jacob asked, honestly interested in his father's reasoning.

"Charlie's going to propose to Sue." Billy laughed at Jacob's gasp. "I thought the same thing. He's already got the ring and all."

"Well tell him I said congratulations, I'm shocked the terminal bachelor has tired of his title." Jacob replied with a laugh.

"That's what I told him." Billy laughed, and it cause the homesickness in Jacob's chest to flare brightly.

An hour later, Jacob stood in front of the bathroom mirror staring at his reflection. He had gently refused his father's requests for him to come home, not only did he not want to be let down again, he still had her Christmas gift in the back of his closet, he had one of the biggest meetings of the year tomorrow so he just couldn't drop everything, and he had told his father this.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his thick ebony hair. His mind went back to the conversation with his father, and he wondered if he had been free tomorrow would he have gone or would he have stayed where he was pretending he didn't care.

He smiled smugly at his reflection and snorted softly, he knew his ass would be planted firmly in a first class ticket to Seattle right now. He shook his head and pulled the towel from his body and flipped the light off in the bathroom. He strode to his bed naked, uncaring that every window in his bedroom was unobstructed. He pulled back the covers and sat down on the side of the bed, checking the alarm clock before he laid down in the king sized bed.

This was the one time of day that he despised. He felt the loneliness crush him as he listened to the too silent world buzz around him. He rolled over to his side and stared out through the windows as the lightening flashed. He had never had another woman in his bed. While he had been with many other women, a fact he wasn't necessarily proud of, most of them had come when he first arrived in New York alone and aching for companionship, none had slept in his bed; very few had even ever been into his apartment. The same could be said for him, he had never slept in another woman's bed. It seemed wrong to him, he shook his head at his wandering thoughts but they continued on the path no less.

While his pride refused to let him wait for her, his heart would never give up. There was some things that he refused to experience with another woman, things that he would never do unless it was with her.

His eyes drifted shut, her smiling brown eyes dancing before him. His dreams where filled with visions of her laughing, her smile lighting up her face. He would swear later he could remember smelling her, the sweet smell that was only his Bella.


	2. Chapter 2

Rated M for Adult Situations and Language... y'all know the drill with me.

If it ain't got sex, it ain't mine.

A huge, no an ENORMOUS thank you goes out to Mist, you are the best beta in the world. I couldn't ask for a better one! *hugs and wolfie kisses*

Chapter Banner:

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Jacob stepped off the elevator into the middle of what looked to be mass hysteria. "Mr. Black!" Janette his secretary called as she saw the elevator open. He took in her flushed cheeks, and her normally perfect hair seemed to stand on end. "Oh dear, it seems that the copy company has mixed our copies up with someone else and they have lost the originals that you had me send over. I have looked the whole office over for them, and I just can't seem to find your master copy."

Jacob smiled down at her, and she paused for a second, "Calm down. I have them with me." He replied and held up his laptop case.

"Oh." She sighed and smiled up at him through her lashes, "I was sure we were sunk."

Jacob laughed and guided her back into the main sitting area of his office. "I promise we aren't sunk yet."

"Of course we aren't! Jacob Black has arrived!" Jacob looked up as he heard Gabriel, or Gabe as he preferred to be called, come strutting around the corner and into the foyer of the office. If there ever was a man who thought himself a playboy, it was Gabe. He was tall, no where near as tall as Jacob's six foot seven, but tall none the less, blonde and a blindingly bright bleached smile, something Jacob had always been pleased he didn't have to worry about. Gabe ran his fingers through his blonde tresses and grinned at Janette. "I told you we would be fine." Jacob didn't have to turn to look at Janette to gauge her reaction, he knew she didn't like Gabe, and if he hadn't been the best lawyer money could buy, Jacob wouldn't have liked him either. "Alright, lets get this show on the road." Gabe turned and led the way to Jacob's office. Jacob heard Janette's disillusioned snort as Gabe made himself at home in Jacob's office, he smiled over his shoulder and shook his head.

"What do I need to know for this meeting?" Jacob asked as he crossed the room and moved behind his desk. He placed his bag on the desk, opened it and pulled out his computer. He opened it and waited for it to load while he listened to Gabe.

"You know pretty much everything. The company is WHC incorporated, it's based here in New York. It's one of the fastest growing companies in the world." Jacob looked up at him as he spoke, "Yeah, the world. Apparently they have ties in numerous other countries. But it's a sound company, and a very big pay check to offer might I add." Jacob cocked an eyebrow, questioning how much of a paycheck silently, "The designs they want are worth five million right now, but they have doubled it asking for it quicker than normal."

"And today they are coming in to see the specifications of the design, correct?"

"No, today they want to do it all. They are interested in signing a contract today."

Jacob stared at him shocked, "They are in a hurry." Gabe nodded. "Fine if they are in that much of a hurry, then let me get these contracts to Janette so they will be ready." Shockingly Gabe realized that he was being dismissed and he stood and left Jacob's office.

As Gabe left, Janette came to the door, "Do you have those papers ready?"

"Yes, I'm going to need something else too." Jacob spun in his desk chair and pulled out a thick manilla envelope from a drawer in his desk, "I need you to work on getting two copies of contracts using this information." He handed it to Janette and she nodded, "I also need these made into packets, just like we talked about when we sent them to the copy company. I'm sorry that you have to do these on such short notice."

"I don't mind, you know that."

Jacob smiled up at her, "Yes, yes I do and that's why I have you as my secretary. Thank you."

"No, thank you Mr. Black." Janette fidgeted under his intense gaze.

Jake looked up from his laptop as Janette made her way into the conference room. She had once again managed to blow his mind. Not only had she made the copies, finished the contracts in record time, she had also managed to throw together a small brunch in the conference room. She saw him smiling at her and paused as she carried in a coffee pot, "Is everything okay, Mr. Black."

"Yes. Everything is wonderful. I'm just amazed you got all this done in just," He looked down at his watch, "two hours."

She smiled brightly up at him, "Well Mr. Black," She continued to the table she had set up against the far wall and placed the coffee down on the table, "that is why you have me as your secretary."

Jacob laughed nodded and pushed his laptop closed, "Very true."

"Okay, have we got everything ready to go?" Gabe asked as he brushed past Janette, ignoring her completely.

Jacob bit his tongue to keep from snapping at him, "Well _**we**_ haven't but it seems that Janette has worked her magic and got everything completed before time was up." Jacob spoke his tone quietly reproaching.

Gabe lifted an eyebrow as he poured himself some coffee, oblivious to what Jacob was speaking to him about. Jacob shook his head, sighed and turned his attention back to the papers in front of him. While in the midst of the paperwork, he vaguely remembered hearing Gabe yammering on about something, but decided that if it was important he would find out later.

"Mr. Black, security has just called and the members of WHC have arrived and are on their way upstairs." Janette's voice called over the speaker phone to Jacob's right.

"Thank you Janette." He hurried through the rest of the specifications stacking them together properly. He sighed and straightened each, placing them where they were easily accessible to everyone and took his seat at the head of the table. He leaned back in his chair gracefully as Gabe took his seat to his left. He heard the elevator door ding as Gabe turned his blue eyes to him.

"I believe they have arrived." Gabe looked like the cat who ate the canary and Jake thought that he might need to recheck Gabe's contract to see just how much commission he was getting back on this deal.

"I agree," He coughed as he inhaled deeply, and cursed his overly sensitive sense of smell. One of the members of the visiting company was wearing a very odd, very strong perfume.

"I believe this could be a mutually beneficial arraignment," Gabe spoke, his voice never really loosing it's excited tone as Jake felt it.

Jake gasped and stood from his chair, the chair crashing against the wall behind him as the rage washed over him. "What does WHC stand for?" Jacob spoke through gritted teeth, his voice verging on the edge of a growl, sharp enough to cut glass.

"Jake?" Gage looked up at him, his tanned face ashen with terror. His mouth moved a few times, before he forced out, "Whitlock, Hale and Cullen, I believe."

He looked down at Jacob's hands as the table shuttered. Jake looked down at the table and was shocked to see his knuckles were white, and the table edge was slowly cracking. He shoved back from the table, taking deep breaths attempting to beat back the beast within him.

The smell intensified as Janette opened the door and he had the irrational thought of her safety as she ushered the visiting company through the door. He growled quietly as his eyes landed on the first one to come through the door.

She looked up at him and gasped, "Jake?"

"Rosalie." Jacob barely kept his mind, let alone his voice, as his world tuned in and pinpointed on the bronze haired man now standing in the door way. Everything in his life was centered on this man. Jacob felt his amber eyes travel down his three thousand dollar suit and he stood a little taller, happy that for once he wasn't below Edward Cullen.

Jake could see Gabe looking between Rose and himself and he turned to look up at Jake in shock, "You know each other?"

"Yes." Jacob answered almost instantly.

"No." Rose sighed as she realized they had been ousted.

"Jacob," It was all Jacob could do to turn and just leave the room as Edward spoke his name.

In that one moment Jacob knew that no matter what happened, he was going home. And he was going home now. He stiffly walked down the private hallway to his office, slamming his office door so hard as he entered, the walls shook as he crossed the carpeted floor. His normal graceful stride stiff with his struggles to keep the wolf inside; to keep from going back down that hallway and ripping his perfectly coiffed head right off his shoulders. Jacob could taste it, and he knew he had to get out of the building. He knew the stench of... of _them _wasn't helping him and he grabbed his cell phone and exited the front door of his office scaring Janette half to death.

"Mr. Black?" She called to his retreating frame as he slammed open the stairwell door. There was no way he was going to be able to stay cooped in a box right now.


	3. Chapter 3

Rated T: Mild Adult Situations

Thank you again Mist for beta-ing me!

Chapter Banner:

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"No Dad, I'm not coming back." Bella tried to hide the fear in her voice. Bella knew she'd hurt Charlie. She knew she'd hurt so many other people, but Bella just didn't think she could go back. Bella knew that if she ever went back, she'd have to see him. And she just didn't think she could stand to see him again. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him, she sighed again and shook her head, she had dreamed of him every night, his massive body, the smile that could light a room. He was too beautiful to be held back by her; boring, plain Bella.

"Bells, I need you." Her dad sounded like he was about to break.

"I'm sure you can handle it Dad." Charlie was finally going to ask Sue Clearwater to marry him and he seemed to think that she needed to be there with him. "It's not like I'm going to be holding your hand."

He laughed a little embarrassed by the idea, "I know that. But everyone is going to be there. I'd like you to be there for me."

"Dad," Bella was wracking her brain attempting to come up with an reason why she couldn't, no why she wouldn't be able to go, and just like Bella had expected she was coming up empty handed. He knew she was on vacation this week she had stupidly told him that last week.

"Bells," She heard the tone in his voice. She knew that if she didn't go he would be hurt by her, hurt beyond what irrepairable damage she had done when she had left before.

Bella sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Dad, don't tell him I'm coming back."

"He will know. There is no way of him not knowing."

"Dad, Charlie please."

"Bella he will know. I won't lie to him if he asks me." Charlie used the cop voice on her and she knew that she wouldn't be able to sway his decision. "He misses you, you know."

Bella tried to hide the sarcastic bark of laughter, "Oh I'm sure he does." She couldn't imagine Jacob Black sitting around waiting for her, the thought was simply ludicrous.

"Bella don't be like that."

She sighed and was suddenly tired of talking about it, "I don't want you to tell him. Promise me that you won't tell him I'm coming."

Charlie sighed, "Okay. I won't tell Jacob that you're coming back."

She sighed and felt a relief wash over her, "Thank you Dad. I will see you next week."

"You're welcome. Do you need me to come and pick you up at the airport?"

"No, I'll rent a car. It won't take me long to get from Seattle to there."

"No it won't. Thanks Bells. Love you."

"I love you too, and you're welcome." Bella hung up the phone placed it on the base next to the sliding glass door. She pushed it open and stepped out onto the balcony. She inhaled the heat, the humidity of Miami and watched as the waves crashed against the coast.

When she left Forks Bella wanted to get as far away from the cold rain as she could. When Edward left, Bella didn't know what she was supposed to do. She had loved him with everything that she had ever had and gave some that she didn't. Jacob had helped her so much through the process of getting over Edward, something that she really never thought would happen. If someone had told her that she would survive him leaving, she wouldn't have believed them. But Bella had, and she owed it all to Jake.

Bella knew he loved her, and knew that she loved him more than she would ever admit to herself. When she realized just how much she loved him she had panicked and left Forks. Bella wasn't ready to give her heart again. Some how she knew that she wouldn't survive another heartbreak and it wasn't fair to Jake to keep an arms length. So she did the one thing that she had regretted for the last five years of her life. She left.

Charlie placed the phone back on the base and looked across the room at Billy. Billy grinned, "So you aren't going tell Jake that Bella's coming back?"

"Nope, I'm not telling him." Charlie grinned.

"When is she coming?" Billy asked turning his attention back to the game on TV.

"End of the week. She will call me when she knows all the details."

"Sounds good." Billy nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

Rated M for language.

Thanks to Mist for beta-ing. You just gotta love her!

Chapter Banner:

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Jacob growled as his cellphone rang again in his pocket. It was the fourth time, and he was getting fed up with its incessant ringing. He ripped it out of his slacks pocket. "What Gabe?"

"What in the fucking hell?" Gabe was livid and Jake suddenly knew that when he came back to the office, Gabe wouldn't be following him. "You have clients here waiting to sign a contract."

"Tell them to go fuck themselves." Jacob growled into the phone, he was hanging on to his humanity by sheer willpower at this point.

Jacob heard Gabe say something to the leeches that had invaded his very carefully structured world and he spoke softer when he returned to the phone, "This is a multimillion dollar contract. Get your ass back in this office and sign these contracts."

Jacob released a bark of laughter that sounded far too much like the animal gnawing to get out, "Do you hear yourself? Who is the boss? Who writes your checks?"

"They will sue if we don't at least show them the specifications," Gabe was grasping for straws and they both knew it.

"Let them sue, I don't care." And he realized in that moment that he didn't care, that all the money in the world wouldn't be enough if he didn't have her. "I will not do business with those lee- people." Jacob's tone left no room for negotiations.

"You're serious about this aren't you?" Gabe asked his tone broken as if someone had kicked his puppy and pissed in his cheerios.

"Yes," Jacob grinned then finished, "By the way Gabe, you're fired." He flipped the phone shut as he heard Gabe's shocked yelp. He cared as much for Gabe's personal life and career as Gabe cared about his, and that was very little.

He was relieved to realize that being away from the stench of the leeches made it easier to think clearly, to keep his wolf at bay. He walked to the edge of the sidewalk and hailed a taxi, not because he didn't want to walk but because he knew it would be faster means to an end.

"90 West Street." Jacob spoke quietly his mind already on the task at hand, his thumbs typing furiously attempting to find a nighttime flight to Seattle. He hated to leave everything like this, but he knew the other option wasn't really an option at all. He had to see her, so he had to be there no matter if she came or not.

He heard the cabbie talking to him, and he nodded or added the necessary ah's or oh's where he hoped they should be placed.

By the time the cabbie had completed his story, Jacob had purchased a ticket for a flight out of JFK at nine that night. It would be hell to get everything done by then but he couldn't stand the thought of sleeping another night here knowing that she would be there, so close in just a few days.

He shoved a twenty dollar bill through the window as he dialed his father's number. On the second ring, Billy answered a smile in his voice as always, "Jacob?"

"Hey dad, I need you to do me a favor." Jacob nodded at Carlos as he pulled open the door to his apartment building.

"What is that son?" He could hear his father moving around, and looked down at his watch and he realized that his father was probably making breakfast and he smiled instantly missing his father's "Fantastic Morning Miracle". It was no more than eggs, toast and bacon but at that exact moment it sounded better than anything else he could think of and his stomach growled loudly.

"I need you to clean out my old bedroom." He pressed the elevator button and waited for the doors to slowly open.

"You're coming home?" Jake could hear the smile that lit up his father's face and he couldn't help but return the gesture even though his father couldn't see it.

"Yes, I'm coming home. I've got a flight at nine tonight. I have a lot to get done before then, but I will see you in just a few hours old man." He grinned waiting for his father's sarcastic reply, that never came.

"Just be careful." Billy replied his smile still shining brightly in his voice, his voice soft with emotion.

By the time Jacob got to the twenty-second floor he was already on the phone with Janette. He hated to lie to her, but he knew that the truth wouldn't help any, "Yes. My father is fine. I truthfully doubt that there is anything really wrong with him but I just feel like I need to go be with him."

"Yes. Mr. Black I understand that all too well. I will be sure to forward any emails that you receive to your personal email, and if I need to I can fed-ex anything that needs your immediate attention." Janette was writing down everything she needed to keep up with while he was gone, he could hear the pin scratching across the paper. His sense of hearing was still infuriatingly sensitive after his near explosion of anger. He knew if he didn't change sometime tonight, he would have a headache tomorrow that only a miracle could relieve.

"Thank you again, Janette. If Gabe should cause you any trouble, do not hesitate to call the police."

"Did you really fire him?" Janette asked, he knew it wasn't her place to ask but Jake was happy that she had.

"Yes, Janette I did. I will begin looking for a better suited member for our team when I return."

He heard her sigh of relief, "Very well." He knew her reply was her way of saying thank you.

He finished up his call with her as he entered his apartment and shoved the door closed with his foot. He paused just inside the door and once again started flipping through the numbers in his cell phone. This was the one phone call he wished he didn't have to make. Not because he would miss her, not because he loved her but because he didn't feel like dealing with her today. He knew that she would be upset with him, and knew that she had every reason to be but he hadn't lied to her about what he wanted. He had made it perfectly clear in the beginning that he wasn't looking for something permanent. Was it his fault that she had involved her emotions and would probably be hurt by his phone call? He knew it was. If he had been a stronger man, he wouldn't have had to turn to another woman to beat back his desire for Bella. He shook his head at his thoughts, pressed send and brought the phone to his ear.

"Jacob," Her tone was soft, and he could hear the smile dancing in her voice, "I'm happy you called. I wanted to apologize for last night."

"Emma, please don't." He couldn't allow her to apologize knowing what he had to say, it seemed like a slap in the face to him. He moved toward his bedroom as he continued, "I'm sorry. I have to leave town on business."

"Oh." That single word seemed so painful for her and it tore at his heart. He might not love Emma, but he didn't want her to be hurt, especially by his own hands. "Perhaps when you get back we can-"

"No, I'm sorry. I don't know when I will be back," Or even if I will back, he added silently, "I wouldn't ask you to do that."

"Oh, well I don't mind."

"No, Emma." He didn't know how to tell her without just telling her, and he could already fell the anger building over the phone, "I don't want to see you again."

"So that's it? After six months you think that you can one day just decide that you don't want to see me anymore?" He sighed and closed his eyes. He ran his hand down his face and he sat down on the side of his bed as she tore into him, lashing out at him in her native French. "Vous vous excusez horrible pour un homme. Vous n'avez pas fini d'entendre parler de moi."

He listened to the buzz of the phone in his ear as she hung up on him. He had picked up enough French to know that she had threatened him, and that she didn't like him one bit.

He sat on the side of his bed, his arms resting on his knees his mind spinning with the ifs and maybes of the last few years of his life. While he knew that he hadn't fucked it up beyond repair, it still needed to be fixed and with that thought he pushed himself from the bed.

As he moved around his apartment he made a mental list all the things he would need to do before he left and things he needed to do once he arrived in La Push. The thought of Embry and Quil made him pause and he sighed. He hadn't talked to them in years, unable to push himself that hard past the pain he had felt when he left. He had never told them goodbye, he had burned so many bridges and he didn't know if he would ever be able to build them back. He knew from his father that they had moved on, and were doing good but he didn't know if he would be okay without their friendship and he ached for their kinship again. He decided then until Bella came back, if she did, that he would spend his time rebuilding those burnt bridges. No matter what happened during this trip he was going to leave a better man than he was when he left over four years ago.

He pulled open the double doors of his closet and moved to the far left and lifted his suitcase off the floor. He stared down at the small brightly wrapped gift he had purchased for Bella last year and debated on whether or not to take it along. He finally shook his head and left it sitting in the corner, gathering dust until he could be sure she would be there to receive it.


	5. Chapter 5

Rated M: Adult Language.

Mist is the greatest beta ever... just cause she's MINE! *laughs*

Chapter Banner:

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Jake sighed as he leaned back, well leaned as far back as he could, finally aboard the flight. He glanced down once more, making sure he had his laptop, he knew he had retrieved it from the overhead storage just moments before but he was feeling unquestionably scatterbrained at the moment.

He went through the last two hours, trying to remember if he had done everything.

_Jake checked each room as he left, making sure the lights were off and everything that needed to be unplugged had been checked. He pulled the door together behind him, and pulled his luggage down the hallway toward the elevator. He finally gave up on trying to pull the suitcase, it's handle not long enough for his height and he stopped and lifted it. He pressed the button for the elevator and dialed his father's number. _

"_Hey Jake." Billy's voice was alive with happiness, and he hated to know that he caused that sadness that had been there before. _

"_Hey dad I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving for the airport now. It will be a few more hours but I'll be there soon." _

"_That's wonderful Jake." Billy's voice cracked with emotions, and Jake swallowed back his own lump in his throat. He was shocked this was having so much affect on him. _

"_Okay," Jacob cleared his throat and continued, "I'll call you when I get to Seattle."_

"_Don't worry about that, just call me if you have any problems okay?" _

"_I will." Jacob flipped his phone shut and slid it into his pocket as he stepped onto the elevator. _

Jake sighed as he watched the stewardess went through her pre-flight instructions. They really should have a pass for these things. Jake laughed to himself at his rambling thoughts and cleared his throat as the lady next to him cut her eyes toward him. He shrugged and looked out the window, some people just didn't have a sense of humor. He refused to think that she was looking at him strangely because he was near seven foot tall man sitting in a seat built for hobbits not werewolves. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't keep the soft bark of laughter at the thought from escaping.

Jake blinked in the pale light of the cabin as the pilot's voice came over the intercom. Jake never moved his head, still looking out the window as he realized that he had fallen asleep. He hadn't fallen asleep in years just sitting, usually it took hours for him to be able to sort through the sadness, the loneliness for him to be able to answer the sirens call of blissful unconsciousness. Before he could discover why he had fallen asleep so easily the lights of Sea-Tac grew larger, brighter.

He watched as everyone stood, slowly making their way to get their items from the above head storage. He was too stiff to even attempt standing at the moment, he would wait until everyone close to him had stood. He waited patiently as the lady next to him moved about, she seemed just as stiff as he was and he bit back a grimace as she stood and her bones cracked and creaked.

He stood slowly, letting the muscles in his legs refill with blood, letting the pain flow slowly from his legs. He moved slowly but made his way to the overhead compartment and pulled his bags out. He lifted his laptop bag, he smiled as he passed the stewardess and ducked out the door.

By the time he made it down the ramp and into the airport he was able to feel his toes again and he wiggled them again just to feel them rub against the coarseness of his socks. Although he didn't need to, he paused at the map of the airport and noted the three car rental companies. He noticed that the one across the terminal from him was open 24 hours a day. While he wanted to grumble about the location as it was one o'clock by his internal clock, he knew he would have to get his luggage and would be in the area no matter what.

In his desire to use his legs Jacob moved to the far left of the terminal and took the stairs, he had been cooped up too long on that flight and he could feel the wolf just begging to be released. He gritted his teeth and fought the urge to howl, once the fire died he couldn't help but chuckle. He could just see the lady next to him on the flights face had he howled. He shook his head as he stepped onto the bottom floor and made a beeline toward the luggage carousel. He was amazed as he saw his luggage fall onto the conveyer belt as he crossed the room.

"You know you'd think that he would say hi to his two best friends in the world." Jacob jerked upright and turned on hearing Quil's voice.

"About god damn time you came home." Embry crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Oh drop the shit Em," Quil rolled his eyes and slapped Embry on the chest as he moved toward Jacob.

Jacob stared across the room at Quil as he neared him, "You're here?"

"Well last time I fucking checked I was." Quil stared at Jake and cocked an eyebrow. "You all right dude? Or has New York made you brain dead?"

"Fuck no!" Jake moved the short distance toward Quil and pulled him into a hug, trying to shake the shock of seeing them here. He grinned and returned the favor as Quil pounded him on the back.

"He's trying to play the tough guy now that he's imprinted and all." Quil shot over his shoulder as he motioned with his head back toward Embry.

"You imprinted?" Jake asked, realizing just how much he had missed. Embry nodded but still didn't say anything else, "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have left like I did. I just couldn't handle it, she wasn't there and I needed her to be... here." Jake looked down at the floor as he spoke. He looked up as Embry made a noise and watched as Embry's walls feel.

"Fuck it." Embry grumbled under his breath and pulled Jake into a hug, "If you ever fucking leave without telling us again I will kill your sorry Alpha ass." He pounded Jacob on the back one more time for emphasis and Jake nodded.

"I have no doubt about that." Jake grimaced and wiggled his shoulders to relieve the pain from Embry's punch.

"Alright since we have the female hormones out of our system, we have to get you home. Chiefs orders." Quil laughed as he picked up one piece of Jacob's luggage.

"How is Claire?" Jake asked and laughed as Quil grinned.

"She's eight and doesn't like me at all." Quil replied as they made their way toward the exit.

"Oh shit."

"Nah, I'm told it's her "boys have cooties" phase." Quil rolled his eyes. "She'll get over it."

"Unfortunately." Embry said cracking his trademark smirk.

"Watch it Em, you ain't out of the woods yet." Quil shot back at Embry.

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked looking between his two best friends.

"Well," Embry rubbed his hand against the back of his neck. "I'm not one hundred percent sure Chele believes anything I've told her." Embry replied with a squint.

"What he means to say is, she freaked out when he told her about the imprint."

"Please tell me you didn't tell her that you _had_ to love her?" Jake asked.

"Well," Embry's voice started sure but he paused and shrugged, "What was I supposed to tell her? I'd known her for a week, and I was completely in love with her."

"How about 'Let's go out Friday?' that's usually what people do." Quil shot back a laugh in his voice.

"Oh shut up. You got lucky, your imprint was three when you found her! She doesn't know what it's like to _not_ have you." Embry shot back, a growl in the back of his throat, "The rest of us have to work at it."

Jake laughed, but could tell that Embry was really struggling with the situation, "It will work out, it has to."

Embry looked at Jake and nodded, "Yeah it does. I didn't realize just how much it _has_ to work out. How do you stand to be away from Bella?"

Jacob sighed, he didn't know how to answer this question because he wasn't standing it very well, "It's not easy." Jacob paused walking as they stepped out into the Washington night air. He inhaled deeply then continued, "She's everywhere. Everything I see, everything I touch, everything I do she's always right there. Right beneath the surface." He looked up in the sky as he spoke, "I feel her from time to time, if she's happy I can tell. At times she's so sad I cry."

"Have you been with another woman?" Quil, never one to keep quiet asked. He had never felt that type of an attraction to Claire, his love for her was brotherly in every sense of the word. He knew that in time, as she aged those feelings would change but he couldn't imagine wanting to be around someone other than Claire.

"Yeah," Jacob asked honestly. If anyone else had asked he probably wouldn't have answered so bluntly but he felt comfortable.

"How can you stand to touch anyone else?" Embry asked quietly, his desire centered completely on Chele and he was dumbfounded that someone could be turned on by someone other than his imprint.

"I try not to think about it," Jacob sighed and looked out across the parking lot, "I... I don't know how to do anything without it being her. Even if I went into it with the other person before it's done it's Bella. It's always her."

"But not everyone looks like Bella."

Jake shook his head, "No, no one does. But I have never looked at them."

Embry looked up at him, he knew how important it was for a wolf to be in tune with his imprint, especially during sex. "You've never made love to any other woman?" Jacob shook his head, "Their back as always been toward you." Embry didn't ask but Jacob nodded. Jake suddenly felt like a lower class citizen for what he had done.

"I've never had a woman warm my bed at night. I refuse to sleep with anyone but her." He cleared his throat, attempting to hide the emotions choking him. And as always Embry realized what he needed and he slapped Jacob on the back.

"Well we do have a surprise for you." He moved toward the parking lot, not bothering to check traffic as he crossed the three lanes.

"What?" Jake asked as he followed the two of them.

"We had her fixed just a few months ago." Quil called over his shoulder as they paused on the edge of the parking lot.

"Her?" Jake asked and as stopped mid stride as he saw the car sitting in front of where the guys stood. "Holy shit."

He stared at the black 1970 Dodge Challenger that had been only half completed when he left. "But..." He started and stopped again. He dropped his laptop bag to the ground gently as he circled his dream car. He had bought the body of the car for a steal from the junkyard in Forks. He had spent the entire year after Bella left working on it every second he could find. Cars had always been therapeutic to him, and this one had helped so much but as he realized that she wasn't coming back, he couldn't find the heart to work on it any longer. The day he left, he had gone to the garage and covered her lovingly with the tarp. He ran his fingers along the side of the car, the coolness of the metal calling to him. He noticed as he circled the car that the pack's tattoo was etched in white on the back window. He saw Embry move and heard the hood pop as he pulled the release lever. Jake made a beeline for the hood and lifted it. He stared down at the engine, noting that all the work he had done had not been lost, as they had rebuild the original engine and not replaced it totally. "How did you get it running?"

"You had it pretty much completed. Pete from the Forks Junkyard said all he had to do was put it back together." Embry said as he joined Jake at the front of the car.

"How, I mean who paid for it?" Jake asked prepared to pay them a million dollars for it.

"You did." Quil replied as he slide his hands into his jean's pockets.

"What?" Jake asked as he slowly lowered the hood.

"The money from the books, we took a little from each one and put it all together," Quil replied. "Billy's had it waiting for you since August."

"Damn." Jake hung his head, again he felt he had let his father down.

"It's your turn to see what she can do." Embry replied with a laugh and tossed the keys into the air.

Jake grabbed them and after putting his luggage into the trunk, he slide the key into the ignition, and remarked that it wasn't unlike the first stroke of sex. Both Quil and Embry nodded and laughed. As the motor roared to life, Jake felt his own body react to the sound. The tires squealed against the pavement as he left the airport parking lot.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Welcome Home, Jacob Black

Part One

"Turn toward First Beach." Quil said as he leaned against the front seat, as they flew down 110 toward La Push.

"What?" Jacob asked never taking his eyes from the road. While his reflexes were excellent, the speed in which they drove wasn't conducive to missing a deer if one decided to come out of surrounding woods.

"Do you think that you could come home after this many years and not have a party?" Embry asked with his trademark smirk.

"I guess not." Jacob replied and slowed down as he neared the exit toward First Beach.

"What the hell?" Jacob asked as he slowed down even further as he neared the beach. He had no other choice but to slow down, as cars lined both sides of the road, pressing against the blacktop top like hands.

"Yeah, the word got out." Quil stated with a knowing laugh.

"What are you talking about?"

Embry looked over at Jake, "You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" Jake shot a look over to Embry.

"The Chief's son has come home. Our soon to be Chief has come home, everyone has come to welcome him home." Embry spoke softly, as if the moment was somehow more than Jake coming home.

"I don't think I understand."

Quil spoke before Embry could reply, "There will be a parking spot beside Billy's truck, up there." He pointed toward the parking lot at the beach, Jacob didn't doubt Quil but he didn't see how there would be room for a parking space anywhere with all these cars. But he felt Quil nod as he turned into the parking lot and the headlights lit on a lone empty spot beside his father's tan Chevy. Jacob pulled into the parking spot, and turned the car off, killing the lights before he turned as much as the steering wheel would allow to look at the two other men in his car.

"Explain what is going on. This is a bonfire right?" Jacob could smell the burning embers from the car, it didn't take much more information to figure it out.

Quil nodded but Embry spoke, "You have been gone for a long time Jake."

"I know that, but-" Jake started but Embry lifted his hand.

"Billy is ready to step down as Chief, and he refused to until you came home." Embry looked down at his hands, as if he knew that his words were causing Jake pain, Embry knew Jake too well.

"He refuses to step down, to choose another in your stead because he believes that one day you will come back, that you will one day choose right, and choose home." Jacob didn't know if Embry was quoting his father directly or if it was his own words, but it sounded so much like his father that he blinked the tears from his eyes. "While he, I mean we understand that you have obligations that are currently tying you to the other side of the country we, as a tribe know who our real Chief is, and who it will be." Embry finally looked up at Jacob and his eyes shown with a light, Jake had only seen once in Embry's eyes. Jake sighed and felt his heart break again, Embry had always been the one no one could explain. Embry had been forced to prove he was Quileute the only way he knew how, the only way he way he could. It broke Jacob's heart that Embry had been left to defend his own honor as well as the Chief's son when some wouldn't have believed he was Quileute if he hadn't changed all those years ago.

"I'm sorry." Jake spoke quietly, his voice rough with emotion and Embry nodded, knowing what Jake was apologizing for.

Embry looked up at him out of the corner of his eye, "Just make the right decision, I know you will you always do, just don't forget what and who you are."

"I could never forget who or what I am. No matter how many miles might separate us, I always knew who, what I was and I always valued that knowledge. I will always be proud to be Quileute, no one will ever take that from me." He spoke the words and knew them to be the truth. He felt that peaceful, powerful knowledge of that pride fill him and thump through his veins like another being within his blood. He exhaled slowly, his head swimming. He had forgotten how much power he had swallowed all those years ago when he left, and being here in this place, with all the history of his people, it came rushing back over him taking his breath away.

While his father was Chief, and Jake felt that there would be no better, he also knew that it had been three generations since a wolf had been Chief and the power now flowing through him only proved to Jake that he had indeed made the right decision to come back home.

"Are you ready?" Quil asked, his voice unusually quiet. Jake realized in that moment that he wasn't the only one who had felt the rush of power and he nodded. They all moved at the same time and climbed from the car.

As soon as Jake and the guys cleared the black top the joyous laughter from the beach could be heard. He smiled as he smelled all the familiar scents, fire, ocean water and something deeper, the scent of his pack. He inhaled deeply and stepped on to the beach, Quil and Embry at his back, one on each side, just as they were supposed to be as his first and second in command, as if he never left.

As he crossed the beach he took in the people surrounding the fire, the largest bonfire he had ever seen. He nodded to each of his pack as they saw him. Paul, Sam, Jared all stood from their seats and headed toward the head of the circle, toward Billy. He followed their path with his eyes and his eyes landed on his Father. To describe the look on his Father's face as joy would have been a gross understatement, and he felt his chest tighten. He stepped over the enormous log that was being used as a seat and didn't stop until he had knelt in front of his father.

"Jake." Billy's voice was breathy and he knew that he was as close to tears as he had ever seen his father since his mother's death, and he swore that he would never do anything to him again that would cause his father this much pain. He laughed as Billy wrapped his arms around his shoulders and hugged him so tightly that Jacob had difficulty inhaling for a second. Billy slapped him on the back and released him slowly. He pulled from his son but left his hands on his shoulders.

"You look good son."

"So do you Dad." He wanted to apologize but knew that no amount of words would ever make up for leaving his father alone like he did, so he didn't say anything. Billy nodded and released his shoulders.

Jacob stood and turned and was shocked to see all the members of the pack standing behind him. He looked at each one of them, and they all grinned and Jake had never been so happy to be home in his life.

"You could give us a complex, leaving like that, make us think that we stink or something." Jared spoke first, always joking, always knowing how to break the tension with words.

"I'm happy I'm home, even if you all do stink." Jake cracked a grin.

"I take offense to that, I'm a girl. I don't stink." Leah said with a smirk, her arms folded over her chest.

"She's in denial." Seth replied and ducked Leah's backhand.

"Oh you little fucker." Leah growled and the both of them took off into the darkness, Leah on Seth's heels yelling threats as they crossed the ring of log benches that surrounded the fire.

"I see somethings will never change." Jake shook his head as he turned and looked at the rest of the pack. He was happy that the pack hadn't grown any since the Cullen's departure.

"Yeah, somethings don't. Others happen when you least expect it." Sam spoke softly but his voice carried over the din of noise. Jake followed Sam's line of vision and saw Emily making her way toward the fire. She spoke with the man beside her, her face bright with laughter. The man placed his hand on her back and took hold of her arm, and Jake wondered for a moment what was wrong with Emily. She seemed to be walking slower than normal but he could see nothing wrong in the darkness outside the light of the fire. Jake watched as Sam crossed the ring of logs beside Billy and made his way toward the two of them.

"You are going to fall." Jake heard Sam's voice as he joined Emily and the other man.

"I think I'm perfectly capable of walking." She smiled up at him, her voice the only thing showing she was serious. "Charlie would never let me fall." She spoke and patted the man's hand on her arm and Jake turned his attention to the man. He hadn't been able to make out the face, but as he looked this time he realized that it was in fact Charlie Swan.

He turned toward Quil and Embry, "What's Charlie doing here?" Jake had assumed that tonight would be filled with tale after tale of their legends and didn't expect to see someone not of the tribe present.

"He knows." Paul spoke up finally and Jake turned to look at him.

"What?" Jake asked incredulously.

"It's a long story, one that Seth will kill me for telling so I'll let him tell you when he gets back." Paul said with a laugh. Jake realized that Paul had too changed, gone was the look of anger on his face replaced with an almost peaceful calmness. Jake shook his head and turned back toward Sam, Emily and Charlie.

"I needed to walk Sam, I was hurting." Emily put more emphasis on the word hurting to get her point across. Jake narrowed his eyes, helping his night vision past the glow of the fire and saw that Emily was pregnant, but that didn't seem like an explanation enough, she looked as if she would burst; her small frame seemed overwhelmed by her stomach.

"I'm sorry." Sam took her face in his hands and kissed her softly.

"It's okay, now help Charlie help me back, my legs have decided they are tired of moving." Emily replied with a laugh. Emily yelped with a laugh as Sam gently scooped her into his arms and followed Charlie back toward the fire.

"You know, all this superhuman strength could make a lesser man feel inadequate." Charlie stated with a grin as he stepped over the logs beside Billy.

"Tell me about it." Billy replied with a laugh as Charlie moved to stand in front of Jacob.

"It's about time you came home." Charlie stood in front of Jake and he saw all the questions flashing through the older man's eyes and he nodded knowing that they would be talking privately soon. "I'm proud to see you back where you belong." Charlie wrapped his arms around Jake's shoulders and slapped his back once.

"I'm proud to be home." Jake replied as Charlie moved and sat down beside his father.

Billy looked up as Sam moved beside him and sat Emily down gently, "Feel any better?"

"Yes, much. Thank you." Emily smile widened as she took in Jake's form, "Jake!" She exclaimed and held open her arms, "You better get over here and give me a hug, I'd come over there, but I might explode."

Jake laughed, but believed it no less. He knelt down in front of her and she hugged him tightly and rocked side to side. "Welcome home Jacob Black." She whispered, but he heard her voice crack and Jake's heart ached with all the pain he had unknowingly caused all the people in his life.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Welcome Home Jacob Black

Part Two

"Welcome home Jacob Black." Emily whispered then pulled back and looked up at him.

"Thank you." He whispered and stood again turning to face the pack. When he spoke again his voice was loud enough so that everyone in the small group around his father could hear, "Thank you all for welcoming me home so warmly, I know I don't deserve it, so I appreciate it more than you all know."

"I don't know what you are blathering on about, you are the Chief's son; we would welcome you home this warmly no matter what." Sue Clearwater, who had just joined the group, said as she sat down beside Charlie.

There were times when the pack wondered where Leah got the attitude, but then there was times like this when Sue's vivacious attitude showed and they did the only thing that could, nod and laugh.

"Jesse! Put **ME** down!" Everyone looked past the bonfire as they heard Leah's demand. Jake stood staring as a dark haired man carried what Jake could only assume was Leah over his shoulder being that he could only see her ass and legs.

"You know as well as I do, that I will only put you down when I get good and ready." The man spoke as he neared the group. He turned all his attention to Jake as he rounded the bonfire. "You must be Jake. I'm Jesse, Leah's fiance." Jesse held out his left hand, his right resting on Leah's upper thigh holding her legs tightly against his chest, and Jake shook it. He released Jake's hand and Jesse bent at the waist and sat Leah on her feet.

"God you are a pain in my ass." Leah stated and slapped Jesse's chest.

"Oh, the terms of endearment she feeds me." Jesse replied, rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around Leah's shoulders pulling her against his chest. "I have to keep her in check, she tends to think that because she is a werewolf that she wears the pants in the relationship."

It wasn't clear until the moment that Jesse mentioned Leah being a werewolf that Jake knew Jesse was Leah's imprint. Jake's brain mouth filter suddenly stopped working, "You are her imprint?" He gasped at his own words and slammed his mouth shut embarrassed his shock was so evident.

Leah cackled, "God, I wish you could see your face. Yes, I imprinted." She looked up at Jesse over her shoulder, and while her words were harsh her face held nothing but love for the man behind her, "He is a total pain in my ass, but he's mine." She looked back at Jake, "Now I understand things that I couldn't begin to understand before." She spoke softly, but the guilt seemed to shine from her eyes, "I'm sorry for all the grief I gave you all."

"You owe me no apology, you were hurting. You can't help how you felt. I'm sorry for being so shocked." Jake said just as softly.

"It alright. I think everyone was shocked, I think I had given up hope of imprinting, after all the stories." Leah smiled sadly, and Jake remembered all the conversations that had occurred around bonfires just like this one.

Leah was the first female werewolf that the tribe had seen in recorded history. So needless to say it was unknown if Leah would imprint, or if she was even able to. Everyone had felt the same way, it takes a strong woman to be willing to put her life on a new track because her imprint had found her. It would take an even stronger man to be able to stand behind his woman, and allow her to be what she needed to be and just as he, Embry and Leah had shown not all imprints were in the tribe, as had once been thought, which just made it all the more difficult.

Jake's train of thought brought his mind back to Embry, "Em, is Chele here?"

"No, I'm going to Port Angeles tomorrow to see her. I'll bring her back tomorrow night." Embry's eyes lit with the thought of seeing Chele, but still Jake could see the nervousness there lurking in the shadows of Embry's eyes.

"Everything will work out." Jake placed his hand on Embry's shoulder and squeezed as he spoke.

"I know, it has to." Embry replied, his eyes narrowing, concentration showing on his face.

Everyone turned their attention to Seth as he called as he neared the bonfire, "Kim said she needs help getting all the food down here and she said she is recruiting werewolf help." They all laughed as Seth set down a massive load of brown grocery bags and they all made their way toward the parking lot, to help out with the load.

Jacob sighed and leaned back against the log beside him. He grinned up at his father, "It's amazing how good hot dogs are when you are out here." Jake said patting his stomach, his hunger fully sated for the first time in almost a year.

"They are always better here." Billy said as he returned Jake's smile.

Jake turned his attention toward the group as Seth laughed loudly, "Seth!" He called and when the younger men looked up at him he continued, "What happened with you and Charlie?"

"Oh lord, a new person who hasn't heard the story yet." Sue laughed and shook her head.

"Mom!" Seth exclaimed and rolled his eyes.

"Let him tell the story of the day he saved my life, and nearly killed me himself." Charlie wrapped his arm around Sue's shoulder and kissed her temple chastely.

"Are you two done grossing me out?" Seth smirked as he spoke, poking fun right back at his mother.

"Maybe, for now." Sue replied with a laugh at her son's discomfort.

"Good." Seth replied and turned back to Jake, "It was late last year, past the end of hunting season right after my birthday," Jake nodded as Seth took a drink of his coke, "Dad, had always taken me to camp at the end of hunting season, he always said it was too dangerous to go when hunting was on. So Charlie took me, and everything had been fine until the last morning. Charlie went to the river to catch breakfast," Jake nodded, everyone knew Charlie was the best early morning fisher aside from Harry. "We were just over the tribe's border, and if we had been a few feet east I would have never felt it as it crossed onto the reservation.

"I took off for the river, I didn't know if I'd make it in time; I knew I had to try but I did and I saw it as it crossed the river. Before I knew it I had changed and it was dead, I wish I could say I remembered killing the leech, but I don't. I just remember thinking that I had to keep Charlie safe, that Mom would kill me if I let Charlie get hurt."

"What he's not telling you," Charlie spoke and everyone turned to look at him, "Is he was amazing. If he had been just a second or two later, I wouldn't be here. I remember casting out, I already had three fish but I knew Seth would eat 5 or more himself," Charlie grinned looking at Seth, "I saw something moving across the bank, and I really thought it was a deer because it was _so_ fast so I stilled trying to see it and I heard something behind me. I turned to look and it was Seth, I only got one good look at him and I knew something was wrong. I thought he had hurt himself at camp so I dropped my pole and started toward him." Charlie's voice changed and Jake knew that Charlie was reliving the moments, not just telling the story. "All I heard from him was 'run' and I balked, I have never heard Seth's voice like that and I watched as the boy changed in front of me. One minute I was looking at Seth, scared to death for him then the next I was staring a bear sized wolf and I was suddenly scared of him. I turned just in time to see the thing cross the water, and I realized it wasn't a deer it was a man, I think I will forever remember his eyes, they were the reddest eyes I'd ever seen. I never thought I'd ever say that I was scared of something as bad as I was scared of that. . . thing. There was no humanity in it, none." Charlie shivered, his memories too real and looked at Seth, "I watched Seth rip the thing to pieces, the sound of it, it was like nothing I'd ever heard before." Jake listened to Charlie's stories, knowing exactly what he was talking about. If you could rip rock like flesh, it would sound something like that. There was no way that anything normal, anything living could sound like that. He shivered and turned his attention back to Charlie. "I want to say that if I hadn't seen him change I would have never believed that it was Seth, but when he turned and looked at me, I knew. I would know those eyes anywhere. I don't remember much after that," Charlie grinned at Seth and Seth moved closer to Charlie.

"After I had torn it to pieces, I knew I had to burn it but I had to make sure Charlie was safe first, I turned to look at him and he had this look on his face, and I knew I had scared him to death. I don't think I've ever changed back so fast in my life. Here I am trying to remember CPR while Charlie's three shades of white, and I'm buck ass naked." Everyone laughed, and the stress of the story seemed to dissipate, "Thank god Sam and the rest of the guys had felt it too, cause I was so scared of loosing Charlie that I couldn't remember how to save him."

"Yeah, and to add salt to the wound here comes Jared and I," Paul spoke up with a grin on his face, "full tilt through the trees and Charlie sees us first, his eyes were as big as saucers." Jared covered his laughter with a cough but everyone knew.

"I'm so happy I can amuse you." Charlie said with a smirk.

"Well it wasn't funny at the time. But now, it's hilarious." Jared smiled widely, everyone knew he found humor in the weirdest places, but that's why everyone loved him.

"Yeah yeah," Charlie shook his head.

"I didn't know how, or what to tell him so I told him Billy would tell him everything when we got back to town." Seth restarted, "I don't think that was the best thing to do, cause by the time we got back he was so pissed, I've never seen a white man turn that shade of red."

Charlie laughed, "Pissed wasn't really the word for it. I don't know when I realized what it was but by the time we got back to Billy's I knew."

"God that was a conversation that I hadn't ever planned on having, especially when you were so angry." Billy commented shaking his head, "I explained everything, and Charlie listened to it all, never said a word until I finished. He only said one thing before he left," Billy laughed softly and looked at Charlie.

"'I knew I hated that Cullen boy for some reason.'" Charlie repeated his famous last words and Jake couldn't help but laugh and everyone else followed suite.

"Billy called me when Charlie left, and God that was a horrible wait. I didn't know what to expect from Charlie, the Elders had told me not to say anything to Charlie about the pack or Seth or Leah, it was the hardest thing in the world. Harry never got to see his kids this way, and while I'm terrified of losing them, I couldn't be prouder of them and I wanted to share it with Charlie so bad. Yet I was so worried, but I was so excited to finally be able to tell him everything." Sue smiled up at Charlie, it was a look of love, and Jake watched as Charlie's eyes lit and for the first time Jake knew that Charlie was happy, and completely in love. The terminal bachelor had finally met his match, and just like Jake and Bella she had been in front of him the whole time.

Jake spoke after he was sure the moment between Charlie and Sue was over, not wanting to ruin it for them, "So has there been any other vamps in the area?"

"Not a one. Seems when the Cullen's left, the novelty of their 'beliefs' left with them. We finally came to the conclusion that this one was just a lone one, since we patrolled for days, just waiting for that other shoe to drop and there wasn't even the scent of another one." Sam replied from his seat beside Emily.

Jake felt Leah more than he heard her as she joined him just out of the light of the bonfire.

She didn't look at him as she spoke, her eyes watching the waves just as his were, "Jake," She started and seemed to stop to pick out her words, she took a deep breath then continued, "I know I apologized to you for giving you grief, but I wanted to make sure that you know exactly what I was talking about."

He finally lowered his gaze to the girl that was more his sister than his own sisters, "What do you mean?"

She looked up at him, and worried her bottom lip. It was an action that he had never seen her do and it was so utterly feminine that it was a little disconcerting, "I didn't realize how strong an imprint could be. I'm sorry for all those times that I yelled at you, or cussed you out for not just letting Bella go. I realize now that you couldn't have let her go if your life depended on it." She sighed and then continued, "And for that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not understanding that."

"Thank you Leah, but you don't really owe me an apology. You didn't know what it was like, I didn't either until it happened. I can see how you would feel the way you did."

"I know, I just," She paused and looked over his shoulder and Jake followed her line of vision and saw Jesse and the rest of the guys playing football down the beach, "I just can't imagine him leaving me, to know that I wasn't enough for him." Jake turned back to look at her, and felt his chest tighten when he saw the tears balancing on the brim of Leah's eyes. "I'm so sorry for the pain that she had caused you, and I'm so sorry that you had to go through it all alone."

"It's okay, no it's not okay, but I will be. It hurt, hell it still hurts but I try to keep busy, I try not to think about it." Jake didn't know why he was opening up to Leah, but he knew that if anyone could begin to understand it would be her. He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and turned his attention back to the ocean. "I worry everyday. I never go a day without the thought that I will spend the rest of my life knowing that I wasn't enough. That I will spend the rest of my life with this longing, with this emptiness that only she can fill and that she might never fill it. I don't know what I will do if she comes here this time and turns me down. I don't know that I, that my soul can handle it again." He didn't know when the tears started but he felt the wind dry the wetness on his cheeks, "I've got to make her love me. That's all I know to do."

"Do you really think that she doesn't love you?" Leah asked her voice soft against the ocean wind.

"I don't know if she does or not. I want to believe that she does, I want to think that she loved me so much that it scared her and she left. But that dream only lasted until that year was over. If she really loved me, she wouldn't have been able to stay away, she would have wanted to see me. So while I don't want to admit it, and I would never admit it to anyone else, I don't think she does."

"I'm sorry Jake." Leah replied and looked up at him.

They both looked back toward the bonfire as Billy called the pack back to fire.

"I know this is so not like me," Leah wrapped her arm around his waist as they started toward the fire, "But I know that everything will work out. She will come home and it will all be okay." Jake smiled down at her, and wrapped his arm over her shoulder.

"I'm gonna hold you to that."

"Go ahead. If I can find mine, you can get yours." Leah hugged Jake quickly and took off back toward the fire. Jake stared after her, watching her as Jesse picked her up and hugged her tightly to his body.

He smiled to himself and wrapped himself in the confidence that seemed to flow off of Leah now, wanting to believe that he would be able to get his Bells once and for all.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Late Night, Early Morning

Jake groaned quietly as he opened his eyes slowly, the sunlight flashing brightly into his eyes. He sighed, his body tired from the late night before. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock beside his bed. It had been well after 4 am when he came in with his father and it was now 8, he wanted more sleep but knew that he would be unable to get more. It was 11 in New York and he had to check in with Janette. He moved from the bed, pushing the covers from his body and stretched as he stood. He pulled his cell phone out from his jeans pocket beside the bed, and headed toward his bedroom door.

He opened the door and was greeted with the stoney silence of his father's house. It was odd to hear so many sounds, and yet hear nothing at all. No voices from the neighbors, no street noises, nothing but the sounds of nature and his father's soft snores. He smiled and pushed the back door together so he wouldn't wake his father.

45 minutes later, and three silent trips to his room for misplaced files, his laptop and address books later; he sighed as he closed his phone and leaned back and stared out over the yard of the house that had always been his home. The day had awakened with him, or so it seemed. Birds tweeted loudly, and animals made their way through the woods behind the house.

Just as he had expected the Black Wolf world had come to a screeching halt when he left town, but Janette was able to get it going again. She had done just as she had been instructed, all important emails were waiting for him in his in box, and she had forwarded all important messages to him when he called. He had dictated four letters of apology to different companies he had been in negotiations with to her, and he knew that there would be more emails in his box tomorrow from the companies demanding more of an explanation but he had no intention of giving them more than what he had already had. He was not under contract with any of them so he didn't feel he owned them anything. He would complete the contracts that he was currently under, and if he decided to go back to New York, then he would decide what he wanted to do from that point forward.

He for once in a long while felt very settled and satisfied in his decision to come back home. He grinned as he heard his father's wheelchair squeak as Billy neared him.

"Son?"

"On the back porch," He called over his shoulder as he waited for his father to come toward his voice.

"You are up already?" Billy asked as he rolled to a stop beside Jacob.

"Yeah, I had to check up in New York." Jacob said as if it explained everything. It apparently did as his father nodded and changed the subject.

"Are you hungry?"

Jacob laughed, "It's been a while but I promise you nothing like that has changed. I'm always hungry."

Billy laughed and wheeled his way back into the house. He called back over his shoulder as he re-entered the house, "I'll have you something to eat in just a few minutes."

It was a little after 10 when Embry and Quil showed up at Billy's. Billy looked up as they came in through the front door without knocking. "We don't knock now?" Jake asked as he looked up over his computer.

"Nah, Billy knows we are here before we ever get to the house, seems kinda redundant." Quil replied with a grin as he sat down at the kitchen table.

Embry shook his head, but joined Quil none the less, "I didn't expect you to be up yet. Jet lag and all."

"Nah, I was up before the old man." Jake replied with a grin as Billy replied with a snort from the kitchen.

"You gonna take that from him?" Quil called toward Billy.

"Oh, when he doesn't have dinner, he will know who won."

"Love you dad." Jake called with a laugh.

"Oh yeah, listen to you now." Billy replied with his own smile.

"How does it feel to be home?" Quil asked a few minutes later when Jake pushed the lid of his lap top shut.

"I'd be great, if I didn't still have this headache from hell." He replied and rubbed the back of his head.

"From not changing?"

"Yeah," Jake replied, stretching his stiff muscles.

"Then lets go for a run before I leave this afternoon." Embry said as he leaned on the small table, where he had spent some of his best days.

"Go, you need to get reacquainted with the reservation again." Billy said as he rolled into the room.

Jake nodded and stood from the table. He walked across the room to stand beside his dad. He stared down at him, his hand on his father's shoulder and let his eyes show all the emotions he felt for the man who had molded him into the man he was today. He hoped Billy knew how much he loved him. Billy placed his hand on his Jake's hand and squeezed, "Now go, I'm going to Sue's for an Elders meeting later today but I should be here when you get back."

"Okay." Jake squeezed his shoulder one more time and moved toward his bedroom to change into something he didn't mind ruining.

Jake joined Embry and Quil outside the back door after changing clothes and felt his heart pounding as he neared the woods. It had been over a year since he had changed and his wolf was clawing at the surface, aching to get out. He sighed as he let go and let the beast out, not even taking the time to push the jogging pants he had changed into off his body. He howled loudly and shook out his coat as he pawed at the earth beneath his paws.

His breath came in gasps as the others changed.

"_God how long has it been since you changed?" Quil asked. _

"_Over a year." Jake replied as he took off racing through the woods, the limbs and leaves brushing against his face, his sides, along his back as if to welcome him back. _

"_How in the hell did you hold it in for a year?" Embry asked as they picked up the scent of a rabbit. They followed the scent until it veered off to the left and they turned right. _

"_Very very carefully. It would be hard to explain a bear sized wolf in New York. I changed a few times in my apartment, but it seemed to only make it worse. I couldn't run, I couldn't let go it was like the walls were a cage." The feelings of those days washed over Jake and Quil and Embry felt the longing for the chase, the feel of the dirt beneath their paws and they both howled with the pain the emotions brought to the surface. _

Hours later, they all lay stretched out on the cliffs staring out into the gray clouds on the horizon.

"_How was it?" Quil asked lifting his head from his paws to look at Jake._

"_How was what?" Jake listened to Quil's mind and saw flashes of New York. "Oh." He sighed and was again grateful for the hive mind. He didn't know how to explain everything to them, but he could feel it and they feel that. "I don't know how to explain to anyone how I felt when she left. I felt hollow, if that's even a description. She was a part of me that was __**supposed**__ to be there, and she refused to be there. I know I've told you all this before but I tried to stay, I really did. I just couldn't continue to live my life here and pretend to be happy, pretend to be okay. I wasn't okay. I was far from okay. When I left I didn't have to answer anymore questions about how I was. No one knew what had happened, and if I wanted to be in a pissed off mood, then I could. No one would try and make me feel better. No one would look at me with pity." Jacob sighed. He hated that he felt the way he did, and he knew that it had to hurt his friends, the ones who had spent so many hours trying to make him better. "I'm sorry, I know that hurts. But it was just more than I could handle. I needed to get her out of my head, out of my mind." _

_Did you get her out of your mind?" Embry asked interrupting him. _

"_No, not even for a minute. A day didn't go by when she didn't cross my mind. I was lucky if a few hours went by before I found myself thinking, 'I wonder what Bells is doing?' It was so hard." Jake sighed and let some of the emotions he felt when he left wash over him, to make them understand how deeply he had been hurt. They both gasped and looked at him when the pain stabbed through his heart. _

"_Do you still hurt this bad all the time?" Embry asked, and his mind flashed to Chele. _

"_No, I mean I have my days." He fought the thought of the leeches from his mind. He didn't know if he wanted to tell them why he had decided to come home. He didn't want them to know that it wasn't just because he wanted to come home, he didn't want them to know that it took the thought of him being in her life again for him to decide to fight again. _

_Embry had always been too bright for his own good and he knew Jake too well, "What made you decide to stand up and fight this time?" _

_Jake shot a look at Embry but Embry never turned his attention from his best friend. Jake sighed, he was determined to tell this story, not let the story tell itself, "I had a meeting with a multimillion dollar client yesterday." _

"_Okay?" Quil seemed content with the idea, but Embry knew there was more to the story. Jake sighed and continued. _

"_I had let my lawyer handle all the paperwork," a visual image of Gabe flashed in his mind, and both of the guys growled, "My thoughts exactly. I didn't even think to check out the company, it had always worked this way, he checked it, I showed up at the meeting, signed the contract and did the work, then I got paid. But I wasn't prepared for the company that came through my office doors yesterday morning." Jake thought back to the moments before he saw them, the perfume he assumed they were wearing, blaming his oversensitive sense of smell. He sighed again, "When she came through the door, everything changed. I knew in a moment something that I hadn't been able to figure out in years," Jake let the image of Rosalie flash in his mind. Jake and Embry both looked at Quil as he jumped to his feet, so taken aback by the image of Rosalie in his head that he reacted uncontrollably. _

"_God, you can't just throw that shit out there like that." Quil replied with a laugh as he settled back down onto his side. _

"_What did you realize?" Embry asked a few seconds later. _

"_That anything worth having is worth fighting for. I lost her years ago because of the fucking leech," Jake's hatred for Edward shined brightly through his mental tones, as well as his voice, "and I wasn't about to miss the chance to fight for her again. I don't care if I have to go to where ever she is, I'm not giving up this time. I've dealt with this pain for five years, and I'm done. I'm tired of waiting, I'm taking now." _

"_Well I'm not going to lie, I'm happy you finally got it figured out. But I wouldn't tell everyone that it took that," Embry said flashing an image of Edward in his head and laughed as Quil jerked again, "to figure it out. They might not take it so good." _

"_That's why I didn't want you to know. I just wanted you to know that I was here, not what it took to get me here." _

"_I agree. Do you think you will go back?" Embry asked the question Jake hadn't wanted to ask himself. _

"_I will have to go back, at least for a while but I don't think that I will be staying. I didn't realize how much I missed this, until I came back." Jake inhaled deeply of the ocean wind and felt his wolf sigh, and knew he was home. "Enough about me. When do I get to meet Chele?" _

_Embry's heart raced as he thought of Chele and her image flashed through his mind, and Jake saw what he saw in her. "I hope tomorrow. If I can talk her into coming back. I don't know how to tell her all this without telling her everything. I'm so worried she's going to think I'm a rambling idiot." _

"_I don't think she will. Just from what I see in your mind and what I'm picking up from Quil she seems like she would be able to handle handle the truth. Try it you never know." _

"_Yeah cause if it doesn't work you can kidnap her and bring her back here and we can prove to her that you aren't a rambling idiot. An idiot but not a rambling one." _

"_Oh yeah that's so helpful. Don't you have a date to play barbies with Claire?" Embry shot back and Jake laughed loudly as the image flashed through Quil's mind. _

"_Oh god you are so whipped." Jake shook his head and turned his attention back to Embry. "It will work out. You don't need to over think it. Trust me, I've spent the last five years over thinking everything and it doesn't help any at all."_

"_I know, I just want things to be good. I want it to work out. I want __**her**__ to be happy. If she's with me, I'm happy but I'm worried I wont make her happy." _

"_Over thinking it." Quil called in a singsong voice. _

"_I have to agree with Mr. Barbie." Jake replied with a nod. _

"_How can you be so confident, when you are going through hell?" _

"_Cause I know that if I can get this right anyone can get it right, and I know that I am going to get this right no matter what." Jake said his confidence still at an all time high. He knew he would do whatever it took, no matter what it took. Bella would be his before this was over. _

A few hours later they made their way back to Jake's house, all of them still in wolf form because Jake couldn't change back until he got more clothes.

"_So you are about to leave?" Jake asked as they neared the back of his house._

"_Yeah, I'm gonna drop Quil off at Claire's then I'm gone. I hope to be back tonight about eight. It might take me longer, but I hope not." _

"_Okay, Be careful." _Jake said as he exited the woods and made his way to the back door of his house. He crossed the small creek and climbed the few steps to the back door his nails clicking sharply on the wood floor boards of the porch. He pushed the handle on the back door down with his nose, once again happy that he had talked his father into changing the back door knob out with a handle. He pushed open the door and once inside the kitchen he pushed the door back together with a light kick of his back leg. He looked up as he heard his father call out.

"Jake is that you?" Jake didn't bother changing he just made his way through the kitchen and into the living room. "Oh!" Billy laughed as he turned and saw his son. "I wasn't expecting you, like that. Come here, it's been a while since I've seen you." Jake chuckled and moved further into the room and came to stand in front of his father. He sat on his haunches and was taller than his father. It seemed odd to see him through his wolf's eyes. He looked almost identical but he could see the smaller wrinkles, and his eyes seemed more tired than before. "You've grown. I thought that you were through growing." Billy rolled forward and ran his hand though Jake's fur at his chest. Jake nodded, acknowledging that he had grown a little and lowered his head to nuzzle his father's hand. He inhaled his familiar scent. He welcome the happiness it caused within him. Billy laughed and scratched his nose, "Okay. I have an Elders meeting later. Supper is in the oven, I've eaten so it's all yours. I shouldn't be too late but Sue will be driving me home so I don't know how long I will be so don't wait up for me." Jake nodded and turned to leave the room but paused at the door hoping his father knew he wanted him to wait before he left. Billy nodded and waited as Jake left to change and get dressed.

Jake changed as he entered his bedroom and slipped into his pants, pulling them up his legs not worrying with underwear and pulled a t shirt out of his suitcase he had yet to unpack before he headed back into the living, "Dad?"

"Yeah." Billy called before Jake entered the living room again.

Jake looked at his dad, unable to see the tiredness he had seen earlier, and was happy, maybe it was something that he could change. "I wanted to talk to you before you left."

"Good. Let me tell you this before I forget. Charlie wants to talk to you. He said for you to come over to his house as soon as you got back."

Jake cocked an eyebrow, "Okay?"

"I don't think it's anything bad. I think he wants to talk to you about Bella actually."

"Oh." Jake sat down on the couch beside his Dad. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come back."

"Don't. You made the right choice. That is all that matters. I didn't and still don't care how long it took you to choose, because you chose right. So no more apologies. Okay?"

"Okay." Jake replied with a smile. They both looked up as they heard Sue pull up in the yard. "Come on old man lets get you to your meeting."

"Yeah, you just want the house to yourself."

"Not as much as you would think." Jake replied with a laugh. He had had enough lonely nights in New York.

Jake helped his father into Sue's car and turned to head back into the house. He pulled out he casserole that his dad had put in the oven knowing it was Jake's favorite and he headed to Charlies, determined not to spend the night alone.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Explanations, Promises and Plans

Jake smiled as he climbed from his car after pulling into Charlie's driveway. He was pleased to see Charlie on the front porch with a smile on his own face.

"Please tell me that you brought us both food." Charlie called to him as Jake neared the house with the tin foiled wrapped casserole dish in his hands.

"Yeah, Dad's famous Seven Layer Casserole." Jake didn't have a clue why his dad called it a seven layer anything, it had at least ten ingredients. He shrugged mentally, it didn't matter it was delicious and he loved it when his dad fixed it.

"Oh, well you might have to fight me for some of that." Charlie said as Jake joined him on the porch. "I miss Sue's cooking on meeting nights." Charlie pulled open the door and ushered Jake into the house.

"Well that's why I brought it. I figured you would be hungry." He stopped before he added that he didn't want to be alone, but Charlie smiled up at him.

"And you didn't want to be alone?" Charlie asked as they made their way to the kitchen.

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone." Jake replied with a laugh.

"Won't say a word. I don't blame you." Jake sat the dish on the table as Charlie moved past him and gathered plates from the cabinets. Jake found himself moving around the room, getting silverware and glasses as if he had never left. He paused as the thought crossed his mind. He looked at Charlie, who seemed to have not noticed and Jake decided to follow his lead. He continued and gathered the other items they would need.

While dinner had been a pleasant time spent mostly with a comfortable silence, the tension grew as Jake joined Charlie in the living room the game playing on the TV. Jake took a sip of his drink as Charlie cleared his throat. He felt his own own heart pick up speed as the older man turned his attention to him.

"Did you imprint on Bella?" Jake choked on his drink, and coughed loudly before regaining his composure. Leave it up to Charlie to cut all the unneeded pleasantries out and jump in with both feet.

Charlie waited patiently while Jacob found is voice. Jake nodded and then added, "The first time I saw her after I changed."

Charlie nodded and seemed to be picking out his next words, "When you left, did you go to find her?"

Jake realized that in the five years later, no one had ever asked him that question, "Yes and no. I didn't specifically set out to find her, but if I had learned of where she was I can't say that I wouldn't have went to her." Jake knew that Bella was in Florida but he had never asked Charlie where.

Charlie nodded again, "I don't understand the whole imprinting thing. I've asked Sue to explain it to me, and she has but I can't imagine anything like it to begin to honestly understand it." Jake watched as Charlie stood from his chair and walked across the living room. "I understand that because of this imprint that you won't be able to find another that will make you as happy as she will?"

Charlie didn't turn from the window so Jake spoke to his back, "No, once an imprint is found it can't be changed and no one will ever fill the space in my heart where she belongs."

"Sue said that if you had never met Bella that you would never have known what am imprint was, that you would just have gone on in life and married perhaps but you wouldn't have imprinted on anyone else?"

"That's what they say. There is only one and just because you don't find it doesn't mean that it's not there."

"So you would have lived your life never knowing this kind of," He paused as if he didn't know the words to explain, "love? Does it feel like love?" Charlie turned then and looked at Jake.

"I still feel the same way about Bella that I have since the first time she came back. I love her, but with that there is more." Jake spun the can of soda in his hand and watched as the tab moved unable to meet the older man's eyes, "I feel like someone took something from me and only Bella can bring it back to me. It's not obsession, but I think of her everyday." He looked up at Charlie and the older man nodded. "Before I imprinted the world revolved around me, and my life just like everyone else. But the instant I imprinted the world changed. It wasn't the world and me with other people in it, it was Bella and me. The world rocked, it shifted and suddenly I knew why I was here, I was here to make her happy, to make her life better and I will do anything that I have to make her happy." Jake sighed, knowing that he was unable to explain how it felt to him. It was like explaining physics in Greek to someone who only speaks Swahili. It just didn't make sense to anyone who hadn't experienced it.

"I only have one problem." Charlie moved back to his chair, sitting on the edge his arms propped on his knees his head lowered, his eyes on his clasped hands. "What happens if she doesn't love you? What will you do if she doesn't want to be with you?"

Jake took a deep a breath, the man's words ripping the scab off the wound that had bleed for the last six years, and he felt his self confidence shatter as the fear lashed out again. He tried to speak around the pain, but he couldn't seem to find his voice. He paused, cleared his throat and tried again but then didn't honestly know what to say, because he didn't know. "I don't know." His voice was soft, the pain so evident it hurt to hear himself speak.

Charlie stared at him for a moment before he pushed back in his chair, "I want to know that if she says no that you will walk away from her, and you won't push her into something that she isn't ready or isn't willing to try with you."

Jake couldn't speak, he knew that it was a possibility. Bella could not want to love him, could tell him no and walk away again. He had been so sure after talking to everyone last night, that he had stopped thinking about what could go wrong. But he knew that if she told him no, that she wouldn't be willing to give him a chance that he would walk from her. He wouldn't be willing to push her into something she didn't want. As much as he loved her, he wanted her to love him because she chose to not because he forced her to. He looked back at Charlie and nodded, "I want her to love me because she loves me, not because I forced her to love me. But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to try. If she can prove to me that she doesn't love me then I will leave her alone but if there is any chance that she could love me then I will fight to the end of my life to have her love me."

Charlie stared at Jake, taking in all he had said. After what seemed to be a lifetime of seconds he nodded, "That's all I can ask of you." He turned to look at the TV then said, "I want you with her. You've always been the best for her. That Cullen boy was trouble."

Jake couldn't help but grin and before he knew it he was laughing, "Yeah he was."

After the game had ended, Charlie spoke again without looking at Jake, "She doesn't want you to know that she is coming back into town tomorrow."

"I know. Dad told me." Jake looked at Charlie as he spoke, unable to turn his attention from the older man's profile.

"Why do you want to be here, if you know that she doesn't want you to be here?" Charlie finally turned to look at him as he finished his question.

Jake smiled a small smile, "I need to see if she doesn't want me to be here because she doesn't want to see me or if she doesn't want me to be here because she loves me. If she knows that I will be here to see her she can prepare herself for seeing me, I want to surprise her. I need to know her true feelings, I know that doesn't make sense to anyone but me, and I'm not really sure that it makes sense to me but I just know that I have to see her when she gets here."

"She's going to be mad at me." Charlie stated, not really expecting a reply from Jake.

"I know, but I'll take the blame for it." Jake replied anyway and grinned.

"Okay, I'm holding you to that." Charlie replied with his own grin.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: You Can Go Home Again

"Thank you." Bella took the keys from the man behind the desk at the car rental company and made her way out of the airport toward the parking lot of cars. She quickly found hers and loaded her luggage into the trunk and settled herself into the drivers seat. Her heart raced, and felt as if it would pound it's way out of her chest as she dialed her father's number.

"Hello." She smiled as she heard his voice, he sounded excited to hear from her this morning and it was only stronger now.

"Hey Dad. I'm in Seattle, I'm just now leaving the airport. I will be there in a couple of hours, okay?"

"Sounds great! Have a safe trip. Are you sure you don't want me to come and pick you up?" Charlie asked dutifully.

"No Dad, I've already rented a car and I'm on my way now. Don't worry okay?"

"I'll always worry, you're my daughter." Charlie replied, his cop voice in place and Bella smiled.

"Okay, talk to you soon."

"Okay. Love you Bells." Even though Charlie had told her each time he talked to her that he loved her, it still through her off sometimes.

"Love you too Dad." Bella replied and slid her cell phone shut. Bella started the car and made her way out of the parking lot and onto the freeway.

The more Bella thought about this trip the more terrified she had become. She couldn't explain why she was so scared, and she had tried to explain it so many times to herself and to her friends in Miami. She thought back to the conversation she had had with Misty the day before she left.

"_You look terrified." Misty had stated as Bella walked back and forth between her closet and the suitcase on the edge of her bed. _

"_I am." Bella replied turning back to the closet. _

"_Why are you so scared to go home? It's not like you have something to hide." Misty asked as she straightened a pair of Bella's jeans before replacing them in the suitcase. _

"_I've told you." Bella's reply came from the closet. _

"_No, you told me that your father and your best friend and his family lives there. You haven't told me anything else. Now spill it or I'll put toothpaste in your jeans and make you walk around without any pants." _

_Bella couldn't help but laugh at Misty's childish threats, and knew that was exactly why she had said it, she turned and made her way back to the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed beside Misty, and prepared herself to tell Misty everything she could. _

"_My best friend is in La Push," Bella started, and Misty nodded already knowing this part, "While he's my best friend, and I know that he loves me, I don't think that he loves me the way that I love him." _

"_More than just friends." Misty didn't ask, she knew that Bella loved Jacob more than she would ever admit to anyone. _

_Bella nodded and continued, "He put me back together when my ex," Bella paused for a minute waiting for the pain to return and released a relieved sigh when it didn't, "left me. He made me believe in myself, in love again. He was what I needed when I didn't know what I needed." Bella sighed, and felt her heart break again at the thought of her mistake. "I messed up so badly. When I realized how much I loved him, when I realized that I loved him more than I had ever loved Edward, I left. I was so terrified. I loved Edward so much, so completely and he had hurt me worse than I had ever been hurt before. Then to realize that I loved Jacob more than I loved Edward, I was horrified to imagine that Jacob could hurt me and I didn't want to think of Jacob hurting me so I left." Misty wrapped her arm around Bella's shoulder and held her as she cried._

"_Are you sure that Jacob doesn't love you?" Misty asked when Bella had calmed down a little. _

"_I don't know. I mean I know he cared, I think that he loved me but I don't know if he loved me the way I do." Bella didn't add that she couldn't stand the thought of Jacob finding his imprint after she had revealed her feelings for him. She didn't think that she would be able to survive another heartbreak like she had before. She knew that she wouldn't have another Jacob to pick up the pieces and put her back together again. _

_Even though she knew that she wouldn't be able to handle Jacob finding his imprint she would never keep from him from finding her either. He was too special of the person to her to keep him hidden away. The world needed more Jacob Blacks and she couldn't live with herself is she had kept him from the one that way meant for him. _

"_I think you need to go home, and see Jacob. You never know, he might love you just as much as you love him." Misty stated calmly, pulling Bella from her thoughts. _

_Bella laughed softly, "I can only dream." _

"_You can, or you can go and see if it's not a dream but a reality. Now get back up and finish packing!" Misty stated with a laugh, pushing Bella off the bed. _

"_Okay, I'm going." Bella replied and restarted packing. _

No matter how much she had talked to herself and to Misty, her heart was still pounding when she passed the "Welcome To Forks" sign. She didn't know if it was not knowing what to expect or if it was just being so close to La Push that made her nervous. But she didn't have much time to think about it as she found herself turning onto Charlie's street. She seemed to inch down the road toward her old house. She paused as she passed his cruiser and parked in the spot where she used to park her truck. She put the car in park and stared at the house for a moment, taking it in. She had expected it to feel her with a sense of sadness, being all that had happened to her while she was in that house, but it filled her with joy to be home after long last.

She smiled as she saw her father leaving the porch coming toward her car. She pushed the door open and climbed from the car. "Hey Dad."

He stopped in front of her, and stared at her long enough make her wonder what he was thinking. Finally he closed the distance between them and wrapped her in a hug, "You look good Bells."

She returned his hug, loving the safety that surrounded her in that moment, "Thanks Dad." She pulled back from the hug and looked up at him, taking in the changes that time had made for her since she had left. She noticed the fine wrinkles around his eyes, his eyes looked tired, and she felt another stab of guilt shoot through her. She hated to think that she might have caused that tiredness, those wrinkles that now decorated his face.

"Okay," Charlie pulled from Bella, "Lets let you inside and unpacked."

Bella nodded and pressed the trunk release button on the keyring and moved with Charlie to the trunk. As he picked up the suitcase she reached out to lift her duffel bag, "I'll get this."

Charlie nodded and as he led the way up the stairs she felt his tension level rise, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course why wouldn't I be?" He replied, a little too quickly, as he pulled open the front door and moved to let her go in first.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked as she passed him. But her attention was pulled from her father's sudden mood change as she stepped into the house. The instant she stepped into the house, she knew. "Dad!" She whispered and turned to look at him, panic tightening her throat. She could just imagine what her face looked like as she heard him come to the kitchen door behind her. She stared at her father, until he looked over her shoulder, and she knew that she wasn't loosing her mind, that she hadn't imagined that he was here. She would have sworn that she could feel the heat from his body even though he was across the foyer from her. She turned slowly, as if turning slower would make it any easier. She turned, her eyes on the floor until she saw a pair black boots. Her mind screamed that she was screwed if just the sight of his shoes made her stomach tighten and her heart stop. She took a deep breath and lifted her eyes slowly, she told herself that it was to prepare herself for the first contact in six years, but that little voice in her head knew better. She knew that she wanted to remember everything from this moment, just in case it was the last time she saw him. Her eyes traveled up his jean clad thighs, to the black t shirt that looked two sizes too small. She noticed that he had grown, he was taller, wider, as he shifted and leaned to prop against the door frame, one ankle over the other, his arms crossed against his chest. She didn't think that he did it to make his shirt look tighter than it already was, but she wasn't too sure as he flexed his biceps gently as he moved. She thought that she was prepared to meet his eyes, until she saw the small smile on his face. She finally met his eyes, and knew that she would never be prepared as well as she needed to be.

"Hey Bells." His voice was as warm as she knew his body to be, and it moved over her as if he caressed her.

She felt her breath leave her body as he returned the favor and caressed her body with his eyes. She tried twice before she found her voice, "Hi, Jake." She finally managed, although her breath was too breathy for her liking. She hated knowing that he had so much control over her body without being within touching distance.

His eyes traveled back up her body and met her eyes. They stared at each other for what seemed to be hours, but she knew it couldn't be more than a few seconds. She wanted to run, she wanted to stay, she wanted to kiss him, she wanted to slap him. Bella was so confused in that one moment that she couldn't make herself move. She blinked and turned back to Charlie, "I'm going to unpack." She turned to and climbed the stairs as quickly as she could without falling. That was all she needed, she said to herself as she topped the stairs, to face plant in front of him. That would really help her to feel better.

She didn't realize until she was upstairs that she only had her duffel bag, she had left her suitcase beside her father downstairs. She sighed and placed her bag on the bed and moved across the room to the window. She stared out the window her mind on the night that Jake had come to her window. It had been a day that she had never wanted to thought about again; Jake telling her to leave and never come back had broken something inside of her. But even though as she knew that she should be in pain from his dismissal, it was as if she knew that he hadn't really meant it. She hadn't expected him to come to her house that night but when he did, she understood that she had been right and that he hadn't meant what he said earlier.

She heard him as he neared the room, and knew that he had made some unnecessary noise so that she would know he was close.

"I brought up your suitcase," He said as entered the room.

She turned and watched as he lifted the suitcase and placed it on her bed, "Thank you."

"Sure, sure." She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as he uttered his all too common phrase.

She didn't know what to say to him, she worried that if she said anything she would tell him everything; tell him how much she loved him, and how she was so sorry that she had left. She turned her attention back to the window as he crossed the room and came to stand beside her. "I remember that night like it was yesterday." He spoke softly as he looked out the window at the tree outside the window. He turned his dark eyes back to her and she inhaled his scent. "I missed you."

Her eyes jerked to his face, "I-" She paused, not trusting her voice, "I missed you too."

"There was so much I wanted to tell you that night." Jake continued and turned his eyes back to the window.

"But you couldn't." Bella didn't ask, she knew that Sam had ordered him not to tell her that he was werewolf, and while she understood why, it still caused a slight ache in her chest. She turned and looked up at him unable to keep her eyes off him as her mind ran rampant with the same thoughts that were always there. What if he had meant it, what if he hadn't come to her house, how would she have handled it? Could she have gone on? As he turned his onyx eyes back to her again, she knew the answer to that last question. And the answer was no. And in that instant she knew; she knew that she couldn't tell him how much she loved him. She couldn't admit it to herself, because if she did she was sure she couldn't survive the agony of knowing that he could eventually move on to someone new when he imprinted.

"No, I couldn't." He stared down at her, seeming to take her in. His eyes staring at her as if he was attempting to remember everything about her. She couldn't handle the intensity of his stare and she turned her attention back to the window. She heard him exhale slowly, softly. "Bella," She turned to him again, the tone of his voice so strange that she couldn't help but look at him and she watched as he lifted his hand and ran his fingers down the side of her face. She closed her eyes, not wanting him to see how strongly his touch affected her. She opened her eyes when he sighed and pulled away from her, and she realized in that moment that she wanted him to kiss her and again to fight the urge to react she turned her attention back to the window and she heard as he turned and left the room.

She heard him say something to Charlie as he left the house, but couldn't understand what he had said. She watched as he crossed the yard to the trees that stood on the out skirts of Charlie's yard. She watched with an amuzed smile as he pulled out one of their old bikes from behind the trees. She watched his body as he settled himself onto the bike and listened as it roared to life beneath him. She ran her hand down the window pane as he lifted the kickstand and sped out onto the street. She watched him until she couldn't see him anymore until Charlie called her name from downstairs.

"Bella? Are you hungry?"

Bella sighed as her stomach rumbled at Charlie's question. She hadn't eaten earlier, unable to stand the thought of food on such a nervous stomach, "Yeah." She called back.

"Well come on and I'll take you to Carver's."

Bella sighed, she knew that at some time Charlie would find a way to get him to his favorite restaurant before her trip was over. She crossed the room and descended the stairs. "Why did you tell him?" Bella asked as she entered the living room.

He looked up from the game on TV, "What?"

"I told you not to tell Jake when I'd be coming home."

"I didn't tell him." Charlie replied and looked back to the screen.

"Dad, I know better. If he was just here Billy would be with him. Why?"

Charlie laid the remote down and sighed, "I didn't tell Jake when you would be coming home."

She caught the tone in his voice, "But you told Billy didn't you?"

Charlie knew he was caught and grinned, "I told Billy that I couldn't tell Jake that you were coming home."

"Thanks a lot Dad!"

"I didn't do a thing. But I'm not going to tell you that I wasn't happy he was here." Charlie shot back as she stared at him.

Bella paused, realizing what Charlie was saying, "Do you really think that I would have come all the way back here and not see him?"

"I don't know," Charlie didn't turn his attention from her. He knew he had her, "Would you?"

Bella inhaled and exhaled slowly, unable to lie to herself on this, "I don't know."

"Okay, then I don't feel bad. Jake deserved to see you, he missed you."

"Yeah he told me that." Bella snapped back and instantly felt guilty for it, "I'm sorry." She sighed and did the only thing she could think of. She changed the subject, "Didn't you mention something about Carver's?"

"Now I know you don't want to talk about it." Charlie replied with a laugh as he stood from his recliner and made his way to the front door.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: You Can Go Home Again

Part 2: Jake's POV

Jake's heart raced as he made his way toward the garage. He looked over his shoulder at the Challenger gleaming in the midday sun, and mentally debated taking it again but he knew that he couldn't hide the car as well as he could the bike. He didn't want her to have any idea that he was there until she saw him. He needed her to be surprised to see him, he had to see the expression on her face when she saw him. It was more than what he had told Charlie. He did want to surprise her, but if she didn't have the chance to prepare herself to see him, he could see the real her, and more importantly his wolf could see her. His wolf would know instantly if she loved him, and she had to love him.

He pulled open the garage door and uncovered the bike, sending dust flying through the rays of sunlight. He checked the oil, and gas making sure that he wouldn't kill the motor before he even got it really started. Once all was checked he grinned as he turned the key and it roared to life beneath him. He hadn't really thought about the bike until he was near exhaustion and he realized that he couldn't take the Challenger to Charlie's.

He thought back to the night before, the talk with Charlie and the following talk with his Dad. It had been a stressful night for him and he had spent most of the darkest part of the night patrolling, running as fast and as hard as he could in an attempt to tire himself out so that he could finally find the sleep, the unconsciousness he so desperately desired.

Finally just at daylight he had crawled, almost literally, back into the house and fell face first into bed, sleep welcoming him with open arms. He had awakened when Charlie called to tell him that Bella had called and was leaving Salt Lake City on her last layover before landing in Seattle. He had jumped from bed, feeling refreshed and scared beyond belief. He had ate what breakfast his Dad had fixed, not really tasting it, his mind so consumed with the thought of seeing Bella.

"_Will you go outside? You are making me jumpy." Billy had grumbled as he steadied his coffee cup as Jake's constant movement shook the table. _

"_I'm sorry. I'll go work on the bike." Jake smiled sheepishly as he stood. He stopped at his bedroom door when his Dad called his name._

"_I'll call you when Charlie calls. You will drive him crazy if you go over there now jumpy as you are." Billy said never looking up from the morning paper. _

"_Thanks." Jake smiled as he gathered clothes for a shower. _

Jake shook his head as he heard his Dad's voice. He pushed the bike out of the garage and toward the front porch where his dad was talking on the phone. Billy hung up and placed the phone in his lap, "Charlie said she just called and she is on her way to Forks. She just left the airport." Billy stared at him, as if trying to read something deeper with him.

"What?"

"Don't scare her off." Billy replied with a nod.

"What? What are you talking about?" Jake asked a little taken back by his father's words.

"You have this look of sheer determination on your face. I just didn't want you to scare the poor girl to death." Billy grinned at Jacob's uncomfortableness.

"Thanks, that really helps so much." Jake replied and rolled his eyes.

"I know, now go." Billy stated and made his way back into the house.

"Thanks!" Jake called after him.

"Yeah yeah." He grinned as he heard his father's mumbled reply from inside the house.

Jake took a deep breath and settled himself on the bike.

Jake pulled up outside Charlie's house, driving past the front porch into the trees that surrounded the yard. He parked the bike, and turned twice to make sure it was as inconspicuous as possible. He couldn't see it with his eyes, so he knew that Bella would never be able to spot the dark gray bike under the shade of the trees.

He jogged across the yard and climbed the stairs two at a time before meeting Charlie at the door. "I am going to assume that you were already on your way here when I called, and that you didn't drive fast enough to make a 30 minute drive into a 10 minute one." Charlie said turning to head back into the living room. When Jacob didn't reply Charlie shot him a look before he sat down in his recliner. "You better hope that I don't catch you flying around town like that." Charlie picked up the remote and changed the channel before adding, "You might find yourself in jail or something."

"Okay Chief Swan I promise to slow down." Jake replied as he sat down on the couch beside the older man.

Charlie made a noise of disbelief and turned his attention back to the TV.

Charlie looked at Jake as he looked up an hour and a half later. "That's her." Jake said as Charlie heard a car slow as it neared his house.

"I will never get used to the superhuman hearing." Charlie replied as he stood from the recliner. He paused at the foyer and looked back at Jacob, "You aren't going to jump out and yell 'boo' are you?" Charlie asked with a grin before continuing out the door.

Jake shook his head and muttered to himself as he stood, "Where do these old men get their sense of humor?" He picked up his cup and headed toward the kitchen trying not to listen to Charlie as he greeted Bella. But no matter how hard he tried he couldn't ignore the sound of her voice as they neared the front porch. He listened as the front opened, and he couldn't stand it anymore; he had to see her.

He moved from the kitchen to the kitchen door. He couldn't help but grin as she reacted to his presence. If his heart hadn't been on the line he would have thought her reaction was funny, but he didn't need her to be scared, he needed her to be comfortable.

"Dad!" She whispered facing her father.

Jacob met Charlie's eyes as he looked over Bella's shoulder. He instantly knew that Charlie was reminding him of the promises he had made the day before. And he intended to keep those promises, if Bella didn't or wouldn't love him then he would walk away. But as she slowly turned to face him he felt his wolf react to her nearness and he knew. She might not know it, but she loved him. She had felt her side of the imprint, and she was just as closely tied to him as he was to her. He grinned as she slowly drew her eyes up his body from his toes to his face. His knowledge that she loved him made him so much more comfortable that he leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms over his chest. He watched as her eyes widened as his arms bunched with his movements.

"Hey Bells." He couldn't stand it any longer. He had to hear her speak to him, hear her call his name. He felt his own heart speed as her pupils dilated when he said her name and he found himself taking her in, following the lithe line of her body from her face to her toes, just as she had done to him.

His eyes met hers as she cleared her throat and her voice was soft, and breathy when she spoke, "Hi, Jake." He stared at her, watching the emotions flash through her eyes, unable to read any of them until she seemed to lock her emotions tightly away and blinked. She turned to Charlie, "I'm going to unpack."

Jake watched as she lifted her duffel bag onto her shoulder and climbed the stairs quickly. He listened to her footsteps, hoping that she wouldn't fall on the stairs, knowing that she was hurrying to get away from him.

"Are you satisfied?" Charlie whispered as Bella opened her bedroom door.

"I guess." Jake replied and noticed Bella's suitcase resting on the floor beside Charlie. "I will take her suitcase up to her. Then I'll leave and let you have some time together."

Charlie nodded and moved to the living room.

Jacob lifted the suitcase and climbed the stairs silently. As he topped the stairs he saw that she was standing at her bedroom window, and he knew that she hadn't heard him. He shuffled his feet, hoping that he wouldn't frighten her from her thoughts.

"I brought up your suitcase." He spoke softly, still not sure that she had heard him.

Until she turned and looked at him, he had no idea that she had heard him, "Thank you."

He could feel her unease, and it made his heart ache that he caused the tension shining brightly on her face. He felt himself falling back into his older habits, as she worried her bottom lip, "Sure, sure." He smiled softly as she grinned and the tension slowly started to fade.

He watched as the emotions flashed across her face again, and he struggled to read them all but unable to catch any of them long enough to understand them. She turned to look out the window and he found himself moving closer to her, the need to touch her too strong to deny. He stopped as he stood beside her, staring out the window his own mind playing back the faithful night he came to apologize to her for telling her to leave. "I remember that night like it was yesterday." He felt his chest tighten with her nearness, his throat tightened as he spoke, "I missed you."

He stared down at her as she looked up at him, hearing the catch in his voice, "I-" She paused, and then said the answer to the question that he had wanted to ask her for years, "I missed you too."

"There was so much I wanted to tell you that night." Jake continued and fought the urge to tell her all of it now. He knew from her tension alone that she was not ready for him to tell her everything. He followed his father's advice and tried not to scare her to death. He had waited 6 years to tell her that he loved her and that he had imprinted on her and he knew he could wait a few more days.

"But you couldn't." Bella didn't ask, and Jake turned his eyes back to her face again at the finality of her voice. He stared down at her as she looked up at him as if reading something so deeply written within him, and he wondered for a moment if she knew everything that he had wanted to say to her.

"No, I couldn't." He continued to stare at her, trying to take in her piercing eyes, wanting to remember her now, not the 18 year old girl he had dreamed about for years. He watched as she shuttered herself again and turned her attention back to the window. Jake was really beginning to hate the way she could shut herself off from him, it was so different from the Bella that he had remembered that he found himself calling out her name, wanting to see that Bella again. "Bella," She turned to look up at him, and he saw the vulnerability was so raw that he couldn't stop himself from lifting his hand and touching her face. His heart pounded his entire body reacted to her nearness. He fought the urge to wrap his arms around her body and pull her to him, kissing her until she knew that she was his and no one else's. She closed her eyes, and he heard her heart race and the urge to kiss her overwhelmed him to the point that he had to pull his hand away from her slowly. He exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding as she turned to look out the window. He took a step back and before he lost the battle with his urges he turned and left the room.

He descended the stairs and stopped at the living room door. "I'm gonna go. If it's okay with you I'll be back tomorrow."

Charlie looked up at him and seemed to be reading something on his face, "So you think she loves you?"

"I don't think. I know." Jake shook his head and grinned, "Talk to you tomorrow Charlie!"

"Bye Jake." Charlie chuckled as Jake bounded out the front door.

Jake could feel Bella's gaze on him as crossed the yard to the woods. He took the time to move the bike into her line of vision so that she could see what he had driven and he grinned as he settled himself on the bike and drove it out of Charlie's yard.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Hello Again.

The ride to Carver's was quiet, neither Bella nor Charlie knowing what to say to each other. She felt his eyes on her from time to time, but chose to ignore it hoping that her silence wouldn't make him worry more.

She sighed silently as her father pulled to a stop outside the small cafe. She chided herself as she rushed to step out of the car, and forced herself to slow not wanting to make Charlie think that she didn't want to be with him.

"BELLA?" Bella turned quickly from shutting the door as she heard her name. She smiled as she saw Angela making her way across the parking lot, Eric following closely behind her. "Oh my god! I thought that was you!" Angela smiled widely as she pulled Bella into a tight hug.

Bella smiled again, and returned the hug. "How are you?" Bella asked as Angela released her.

"I'm great." Angela replied and took a step back to Eric's side.

"Hey Bells." Eric said and hugged her quickly.

Bella smiled as Eric wrapped his arm around Angela's shoulder and kissed her temple as she wrapped her arm around his waist, "So I thought you guys were in California." Bella asked, remembering what Charlie had told her on one her numerous phone calls.

"Oh we are, but we are on break so we decided to come home for a little while. What are you doing back here?" Angela asked, her smile never fading.

"Dad's going to propose to Sue Clearwater, so I'm back for that." Bella replied looking over her shoulder to her father as he stopped to speak with a man outside the cafe.

"Oh that's so amazing! I'm so proud he is happy." Angela replied.

"Sorry I'm so late!" Angela and Eric both looked over Bella's shoulder as someone called. Bella turned and watched Mike Newton as he rounded the cruiser toward them, "Linda didn't show up at work today so-" Mike stopped mid-sentence and nearly tripped over his own feet as he saw Bella standing beside the cruiser, "Bella?"

"Hi Mike." Bella replied, with shy smile. She shook her head mentally. While somethings always change, it was strange to see Mike was exactly the same as he had been when she left five years earlier.

When he didn't stop staring at her she smiled at Angela who shook her head, "I'm sorry Mike but we went ahead and ate. I hope that's okay."

"No it's fine," Mike replied never taking him eyes off Bella.

"Anyway." Angela stated to Bella attempting to pull Mike's attention from her, "Come with us tonight. We are going to Port Angeles to see a movie."

Bella smiled at the idea of getting to hang out with Angela but didn't know if her father had plans for the night and didn't want to leave him alone just as she got back into town. "I'd love to, but I just got back into town. I don't want to leave Dad alone."

"Oh, I understand completely. If you change your mind let me know and we will swing by and pick you up okay? I'm staying at my mom's house." Angela replied and hugged Bella tightly.

"Thank you." Bella replied as Eric hugged her too.

"What time are you leaving for Port Angeles?" Mike asked Eric finally turning his attention from Bella.

"What?" Eric asked a confused look crossing his face. "I thought you didn't want to go."

"No," Mike stuttered, "I changed my mind and I want to go with you."

"You want to go and see a 'chick' flick?" Angela asked cutting her eyes back to Bella with a smirk on her face. Bella smiled and shook her head.

"Yeah, I heard it was a good movie." Mike replied.

"Okay." Angela replied and turned to Bella, "Just call me either way, that way I know. Okay?"

"I will. I should know when we get home. Talk to you later. Bye Eric, Mike. It was good to see you all again." Bella stated as she made her way around the car toward Charlie.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Bella asked Charlie as she joined him in the living room a few hours later.

"I'm going to Sue's tonight, I don't mind at all." Charlie replied never looking up from the tv.

"Okay." She paused at the door, "I don't know when I'll be back, so don't wait up for me."

Charlie stood from his chair and moved to the door and after pausing for a second as if to debate on what he should do, he hugged Bella quickly. "Be careful."

Bella smiled, "I will." She pulled open the front door and stepped out onto the front porch as Eric pulled into her driveway. "I'll see you later. Be careful Dad." She called over her shoulder as she made her way to the idling car.

"Will do." He replied before pushing the door together.

"Hey!" Angela called as Bella opened the back passenger door, "I'm so happy you decided to come."

"Thanks again for inviting me." Bella replied quietly.

"So..." Angela paused seeming as if she didn't know how to ask what she wanted to know. Bella didn't miss the look that passed between Angela and Eric, "Are you going to school?"

"I finished up a little over a year ago, I got a degree in computer security." Bella replied with a light laugh.

"So you are keeping up with your Dad's line of work." Eric stated from the front and laughed as Angela shot him a look, "I'm kidding babe. So you basically rework people firewalls and fix security problems for different companies?"

Bella was shocked that someone actually knew what she did for a living, usually her time was spent explaining exactly what she did and when she was finished they were usually rather bored, "Yeah."

"Cool," Eric replied.

"We heard that you had moved back to Florida." Angela asked, her tone hesitant.

"Um yeah, I moved back. Mom still has her house in Florida so I stayed there while I was college. She was not happy about me moving out." Bella replied with a laugh.

"So your Mom is in Florida too?" Eric asked.

"No, Paul just got transferred to Chicago so Mom finally had to break down and sell her house. She was heartbroken."

"Oh that's too bad." Angela paused and looked at Eric. He glanced at her and shook his head stiffly.

"Is something wrong?" Bella asked after watching their exchange.

Angela sighed and turned completely in her chair to look at Bella, "I have a question and I hate to even ask it."

"Okay?" Bella replied slowly.

"Please forgive me, have you seen Edward?" Angela asked her kind eyes searching Bella face.

Bella sighed, relieved once again that the pain that had once consumed her when his name was mentioned was again absent, "No. The last time I saw him was in the forest the day he left." The pain that followed her statement came from the rush of memories of time spent with Jake in those woods and all the time she had missed with him, but she pushed it back into the dark corner of her heart so she could breath. "I'm fine I really am. I wasn't for a while," Until Jake fixed me she added silently, "but I'm okay now."

Angela sighed and relaxed visibly, "So are you dating anyone?"

Bella laughed, "I have gone on a few dates; but no, no one special." She had dated in college but constantly found herself comparing them to Jake. While one would have dark hair and eyes, he wouldn't be tall enough. If he was tall enough he wouldn't be strong enough. She had finally given up hope after an incredibly embarrassing outburst during a dream while on a camping trip with a group of friends.

"Really? I figured in Florida there wouldn't be a shortage of eligible men." Angela replied with a grin.

"Well no, just none that I found appealing." Bella replied, grateful as Eric's cell phone rang and Angela turned to get it out of her purse.

"It's Mike." Eric stated as she handed the phone to him. "Hey." Bella tried not to listen to Eric's conversation but in the close confines of the car it was nearly impossible. "Yeah we have already left," He paused as Mike said something, "No," He looked into the rear view mirror at Bella as he spoke, "Bella said she was going to spend some time with her dad." Bella laughed quietly as Angela held her finger up to her mouth.

Bella shot Angela a look and Angela leaned back toward her, "I told Eric that you wouldn't want to have to deal with Mike staring at you all night, like he did earlier today. I like him and all but he can be a little overwhelming after a little while." She whispered quietly.

"Thank you." Bella mouthed back as Eric ended the call.

He handed the phone back to Angela and looked back at Bella, "I hope you don't mind, I mean we could have kept you from the love of your life." Eric laughed as Bella rolled her eyes. "Yeah that's what Angela said."

"I hate to lie to him but I don't want this to be uncomfortable." Angela said quietly.

"It's okay," Bella replied and touched Angela's shoulder, "I would have come any way but it's nice to not feel like the new kid again."

"My thoughts exactly." Angela replied with a bright smile.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Jet Lag, Leno and Pizza

Bella and Angela cracked up laughing as Eric did an impression of the hero of the movie. "Sweetie, I hate to tell you." Angela said gasping for air, "That was horrid."

"But," Eric started, stopped to pout then shrugged, "Yeah I know."

Bella was still laughing as Eric turned into the drive and didn't initially see the black Challenger sitting at the curb. "Whose car is that?" Eric asked as he pulled to a stop in the drive way.

Bella looked out the window and looked at the unknown car. "I have no idea," She turned to look up at the house. Seeing lights on her heart dropped, "I hope Dad's okay."

"Do you want us to go in with you?" Angela asked taking notice of the worry on Bella's face.

"No, I will be okay but I'm going on in, I will talk to you later. Thanks again." She rushed as she climbed from the car. She knew it was well after eleven and her mind was awash with ideas of what could have gone wrong.

"I'll call you in a few minutes!" Angela called from the car as Eric pulled out of the driveway.

Bella waved and pushed open the front door and had called her father's name before she stepped into the house.

"Dad?" Jake heard Bella as she pushed open the front door.

"He's not here yet." Jake replied as he poured himself another drink. He smiled as he heard Bella stumble over her feet and he moved to the door.

"What are you doing here?" Bella asked, her tone harsh.

Jake bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. She was so cute when she was flustered. He was quickly losing his attempt to stifle his laughter and lifted the drink to his lips before he made her more upset than she already was. "He called and said that something had held him up in town and he didn't want you to come home to an empty house." He lowered the glass as he talked, "And hi to you too." He stated as he pushed from the door and turned back into the kitchen.

"So you have a key to the house?" He heard the disbelieving tone to her voice as she followed him into the kitchen.

"No, he dropped by the house and gave them to me." He answered her as he went to the counter and turned to face her. He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. He felt his heart race as she stared at his body as he moved. He couldn't help but flex one time when she continued to stare at him.

His pulse quickened further as her face flushed and she turned her eyes from him. He had waited for years to see his Bella blush and it was a welcomed site. Her biting remark, while not welcome, was expected, "Well I'm here and I'm fine so you can go home." He saw the regret cloud her eyes as she glanced up at him.

Jake grinned as he pushed from the counter and picked up the pizza box beside him on the stove, "No can do. Charlie asked me to stay here until he got back." He felt Bella's eyes follow him as he passed her toward the living room.

"I know there isn't anything that interesting in the kitchen," Jake grinned as he called over his shoulder from his spot on the couch a few minutes later, "Come in here and help me eat this pizza."

He grinned as he heard Bella's soft laughter. He listened as he heard her move to the fridge, "I've already got you a drink."

"Oh." He heard her faint reply, "Is there anything I can get?"

"Nope I've got it all." He replied and listened as she made her way through the dining room.

"There is a lot of things that you might need help with, Jacob but finishing a pizza has never been one of them." She stated as she rounded the edge of the couch.

"Well I've already eaten one, so yeah I will need help eating at least two pieces of this one." He replied with a grin.

"OK, that sounds more like it." Bella said a she sat down. She picked up one of the napkins he had beside the box and pulled out a piece when he opened the box for her. "Did you ask Dad what to get?" She asked as he leaned forward to pick up the remote.

"What?" He asked as he turned on the TV. He looked at her confused by the question, "No. I remembered what you liked."

"Really?" She asked before taking a bite. She stared at him while she chewed.

"Yeah, is that so surprising that I remember what you liked on pizza?" He asked her unclear why she was looking at him so oddly.

"Well, yeah... I mean no." Bella stumbled over her reply after swallowing her bite of pizza.

"Why would it be surprising?" He leaned back in the couch and placed his arm on the back as she turned and pulled her legs onto the couch.

"It's been five years." She replied sheepishly, her eyes staring at the pizza in her hands.

"Yeah," He replied and could feel her mood change, "What's wrong Bells?" He ran his hand along the side of her head, enjoying the cool softness of her hair, and watched as she stilled. "Bella?"

"I'm sorry." She stated and placed the pizza on the top of the box and started to stand. Without his wolf senses he would have never heard, or smelt her tears.

"Wait." Jake grasped her arm as she turned to walk away from the couch, "Come here."

"No, Jake." When she resisted him he stood from the couch, placing his hand on her hip and turned her to face him. He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her face to his. "Please Jake." She whispered as he saw the tears on her face.

"Bella." He took her face in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs, "Please look at me." He waited until she slowly opened her eyes. He stared down at her as he spoke, never taking his eyes from hers, "I know it's been five years, but I've never stopped being your best friend. I've thought about you everyday for those five years and I know you've thought of me too." He smiled as she nodded slowly, "So please, we only have a few days here together, don't shut me out. I want to spend time with my best friend okay?" He spoke from his heart and had to test his iron will when she licked her lips as he released her face. He pulled her to him to keep from kissing her until they were both breathless.

"I would like that Jake." Bella replied and Jake sighed as he felt her relax into his embrace. He grinned as he felt her fist her hands into his shirt when her arms wouldn't go all the way around his waist.

He pulled from her and looked down at her, "Now lets eat and watched Leno."

Bella laughed and rolled her eyes, "What is it with you and Leno?"

Jake waited until she sat down on the couch before taking the spot beside her, "What? He's a comedic genius."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder when she sat back from getting her piece of pizza, "Yeah if you say so." She replied before taking another bite of pizza.

"Well it's 11:30 and the only other option is Letterman." He replied smugly.

"Anything but Letterman!" Bella groaned.

"My thoughts exactly." Jake stated at the phone rang.

"Oh! That is Angela." Bella exclaimed and Jake reached beside him and picked up the cordless.

Jake watched as Bella swallowed her bite of pizza and answered the call before turning his attention back to the television in an unsuccessful attempt to not listen to her conversation, "Hello."

"Hey! Is everything okay?" Angela's voice carried clearly over the phone.

"Oh yeah everything is fine. It was Jake's car. Dad-" Bella started but was interrupted by Angela.

"Jake? Jacob Black?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, sorry continue. You dad is okay?" Angela asked seeming to remember her manners suddenly.

"Oh apparently something was keeping him in town and he didn't want me to come back to an empty house." Bella finished.

"Oh well that is so sweet and it was really nice for Jake to come." Angela replied the smile showing in her voice.

Bella cut her eyes up at Jake and he grinned never looking down at her, "Yeah it was."

"Well I will let you go I know you have got to be tired."

"Yeah I am a little. Thanks again for inviting me I had so much fun. Tell Eric he needs to work on his impressions."

"Oh I will when I see him tomorrow. He kept doing the same one all the way home. I thought I would have to hurt him." Angela replied her laughter belying her threat.

"Poor Eric, he better be careful." Bella replied with a laugh.

"Very true. I will talk to you tomorrow okay?"

"Sounds good! Bye!" Bella ended the call and looked up at Jake, "You heard everything she said didn't you?"

He smiled sheepishly, "I wasn't trying to."

Bella rolled her eyes and grinned, "Wolf hearing and all?"

"Yeah." He replied with a cheeky grin.

She laughed, "I might rethink the whole nice thing now."

"Hey!" Jake exclaimed, "That's not fair!"

"Oh God!" Bella laughed as he pouted, "Okay that's just too weird! Puppy dog eyes from a werewolf? Okay okay I give up!" Bella exclaimed her smile brightening as he smiled at her.

"Good!" He pulled her up against him tightly and kissed her temple.

Bella settled into his embrace, "I didn't stand a chance."

"No not really." Jake replied, "But you have to give me credit I did try _not_ to hear it."

Bella chuckled, "It's okay. I won't disown you or anything like that."

"Oh well that's good." Jake replied with a snort as they both turned their attention to the television.

A short while later Jake noticed Bella's breathing had slowed and he pulled the knitted throw from the back of the couch and tucked it down over her. He smiled as she snuggled deeper into his chest, her hand resting on his stomach. He turned the TV off and propped his feet on the coffee table relaxing completely for the first time in years.

Jake opened his eyes as he heard Charlie turn on to the end of the street. He turned his attention to Bella as she slept in the same position, her hand fisted in his shirt. He ran his hand up and down her back gently as he waited for Charlie to pull in.

Jake motioned for Charlie to be quiet as he entered the living room, "She's asleep." He whispered as Charlie rounded the couch.

"Okay, thank you for coming. Stupid teenagers showing off. I figured I'd be there all night, but thankfully no one got hurt."

"That's good." Jake replied.

"Yeah, When will they learn?" Charlie asked shaking his head.

"When they grow up?" Jake replied with a grin.

"It's too late for smart asses." Charlie replied with a grin of his own, prompting Jake to look at the clock above the mantel.

"Yeah, after 2 am there is a no smart ass law in La Push." Jake shot back.

They both looked down at Bella as she moved, "Dad?"

"Yeah Bells, I'm home."

"Are you okay?" She asked, her voice slurred from sleep.

"I'm fine, just some kids showing off."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, go back to sleep." Charlie replied.

"I'll take her upstairs." Jake replied and moved to uncurl Bella's hand from his shirt and she groaned. "Come on Bells I'm gonna take you upstairs." She relaxed against him and he stood, keeping one hand on her to keep her from falling over. Once standing, he lifted her into his arms and turned to Charlie, "There is pizza in the box and a twelve pack of cokes in the fridge."

"Thank you." Charlie replied and laughed as his stomach growled.

Jake nodded as he made his way upstairs. He climbed the stairs slowly trying not to jostle Bella. He pushed open her bedroom door with his foot and crossed the darkened room. He lowered her to the bed and pulled the coverlet on the foot of the bed up over her. He smiled as he saw that she had replaced his dream catcher on the headboard of her bed.

"Jake?" He looked down at her, her sleepy eyes squinting up at him.

"Yeah?" He knelt beside the bed, his elbows resting on the bed, she turned as he ran his finger tips down the side of her face.

"I'm cold." She whispered, her eyes drifting shut as she spoke.

"Okay, let me pull down the covers." He replied trying to pull the covers out from under her but she shook her head slowly.

"No, still cold." He could tell she was trying so hard to stay awake, "Stay."

Jake grinned, "Okay, but just for a few minutes. Scoot over." He stood from the floor and she moved over slowly in the bed. He sat on the edge and she curled up against his side her head resting against his leg.


	14. Chapter 13B

Chapter 13B: Claiming Her

Embry & Chele's Story

Embry smiled as he slid into one of the empty parking spaces outside Chele's office and after checking traffic opened his door then slid from the seat. He moved around the front of the truck and leaned against it his arms crossed over his chest.

He heard her before he saw her, "Yeah, I'll be back on Monday. I'll be careful I promise." He heard her laughter as he saw her through the glass front of the building, "I've got to go, the bus won't wait for me. Love you, bye mom." She flipped the phone shut and pushed her way out of the building. "Oh!" She exclaimed as she saw Embry. He pulled from the truck and smiled down at her as she came to a stop in front of him, "You were supposed to meet me at home." She stated teasingly.

"I got here early, what can I say?" He asked with a smirk. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gazed down at her, "Are you really complaining?" He cocked an eyebrow.

She couldn't help but laugh, "You know I'm not."

"Then shut up and kiss me." He whispered as he lowered his head to hers.

"That I can do." She whispered back just as softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

She pulled back from the kiss, breathless and a little dazed much to Embry's enjoyment. He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the passenger side of the truck, "Your chariot awaits."

"What is it with boys and over sized trucks?" She said looking up into the cab of the truck then down at the side knowing she couldn't get into the truck looking in any way feminine, at least.

She gasped as she felt Embry's hands on her sides, "We like them because we get to do this." He said against her ear then lifted her effortlessly onto the truck seat. He grinned at the look on her face, "All make sense now doesn't it?" She nodded and watched as he pushed her door together and made his way to the drivers side.

The truck started with a roar, and Embry pulled it into traffic before he turned to her and pulled her hand to him. Chele grinned as she slid across the seat to his side.

When he stopped at a red light he lowered his head and nudged her head and when she moved he kissed down the side of her neck before returning to her ear, whispering, "I'm ravenous."

Chele looked up at him as he turned his attention back to the road, "I thought we would wait until later, I just ate."

He grinned and glanced down at her briefly before turning back to the road. The heat in that one brief glance stilled Chele, "Oh. OH!" She felt the blush creep up her neck onto her face.

"I made Chele blush?" He asked incredulously, laughing softly.

"No," He cocked an eyebrow, "Okay, yeah but- never mind." He grinned but nodded.

Embry parked his truck outside Chele's apartment building and slid from the seat before turning to her, "Come 'ere." He palmed her waist and lowered her to the ground.

"I think I like big trucks." She stated looking up at him.

"I thought you might." He wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands making their way to her butt.

"Embry!" Chele looked around the fortunately deserted parking lot, "Behave."

He chuckled and released her following her into the foyer of her building. Chele giggled as he wrapped his arms around her waist again, kissing his way down the side of her neck, "Embry Call!" She admonished as she looked over her shoulder at him when he nipped at the spot where her neck met her shoulder "You said you would behave."

He shook his head and her eyebrows knitted together, "You told me to behave, I never once agreed to your demand." He smirked and cocked one eyebrow.

She swallowed dryly as his eyes slowly traveled down her body. Her body tightened as his eyes lingered on the juncture between her thighs and he licked his lips. His eyes slowly lifted to her face and the heat in his eyes made her blood boil, "So you better hurry up." He looked toward the mail box, then slowly back to her face, "I'm being as patient as I care to be, if we make it to your apartment in time, good. If not," he shrugged, "I'll taste you in the elevator."

Chele squeaked as she pulled open her mail door with suddenly numb fingers. She pulled her mail out into her hand and pushed the small door together. She turned without looking at him, worried that she'd see the look in his eyes again and make a fool of herself in the middle of her apartment lobby.

She pressed the button beside the elevator doors, and gave up sorting through her mail, sliding it into her purse. She felt him as he neared her and groaned softly as he pulled her against him and she felt him, hot and hard, against her butt. His hair brushed against her ear as he lowered his head to her neck, her head fell to the side as he nipped the skin gently. His hips rocked against her as his hands made a hot line up her chest as he made his way to her breasts.

She gasped as the door opened and she sent a prayer heavenward for the cabin being empty as Embry pushed her through the door. He spun her to face him before pushing her against the back wall. His hand slapped the fifth floor button before he crowded against her. He dipped his head to hers and pressed his lips against hers, his tongue licking gently against her until with a sigh her mouth opened.

He groaned as he gained entrance and laced his fingers into her hair, tilting her head to the perfect position for his thorough perusal of her mouth. He pulled from her slowly, returning to nip her kiss swollen bottom lip just before the door dinged and slid open.

He took her hand in his and followed her as she made her way to her door. His hands ran down her body, cupping her ass as she fumbled with the keys. "Do you need help with that?" He whispered against her ear as his finger tips slid beneath the hem of her skirt.

"No," She replied, her voice shaking slightly. She cleared her throat, "I've got it." Her attempt to strengthen her voice failed as his fingers slid around to the front of her thighs, tickling the soft skin on the insides of her legs.

"Hurry," He nipped at her ear lobe, "I need you," he kissed the skin directly beneath her ear, "screaming my name." He finished with a gentle bite to the skin on her shoulder.

Chele groaned, and her eyes snapped open, eyes she didn't even know she had closed, as she slid the key into the lock, "Finally." She whispered and heard Embry laugh behind her.

"My thoughts exactly." He replied as she stepped into the house away from him. She turned and looked back at him, still standing outside the door, and took in his body, his arms spread across the door, his eyes hooded and his jeans strutted against his painfully hard cock. "Like what you see?" He asked as he pulled from the door and stepped into her apartment. She nodded and licked her lips, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. "Good." He whispered and slammed the door behind him, "Come here." She shook her head, it wasn't that she didn't want to go to him, she did she just couldn't.

He realized then that she felt him, felt his beast and knew that if she could feel it then she had accepted him. "You know you want to." She nodded never denying the fact but stayed where she was. "You feel it don't you?" She looked at him, as if gauging his reaction and then nodded, "Then come here." He growled, his beast howling in his mind. "If you don't come here, you might not like what I do." He warned when she still didn't move.

"You won't hurt me." She stated, believing it completely.

"No, I won't." He smiled, wondering for a moment how she knew that, "But you need to let go, and do what I want you to do."

She shook her head, she didn't have a clue how she knew what he was thinking but she knew, "If you want to claim me, then prove it. Claim me, don't ask me to do it for you."

He stared at her dumbfounded, speechless. He blinked once, inhaled to speak and found himself speechless again. He shook his head, "No, I'm going to claim you when we get home. I'm not even going to ask how you knew that, but if you don't come here I'm not promising that I can keep from claiming you here then we won't be able to leave for hours, maybe even days."

"Why not?" She found herself stepping toward him.

"Because," he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her toward him. He inhaled her scent as he lowered his head to her neck and felt his wolf quieten, "Once we claim our mates, we can't leave them alone. I won't be able to stop from touching you. I'll have to have you every minute of the day until you can't take anymore."

"Sex all day?" She asked, her heart racing at the thought of Embry touching her all day.

"ALL day," He moved his head and kissed her slowly, "and ALL night."

"Oh god." As if the images his words painted in her head wasn't enough, he lowered his hands to the hem of her skirt and pulled it up over her ass, palming the warm skin.

"No, just me." He pulled her against him, rocking his hips against her and he pushed her back until she was pressed fully against the wall. He watched her face as he knelt at her feet. She groaned quietly as she looked down at him, and his eyes never left hers as he slipped his fingers into waistband of her panties and pulled them down her legs. He smirked up at her as he slid them into his jeans pocket. "Put your legs over my shoulders." He kissed her thigh as she placed one over his shoulder. "Both."

She shook her head, "No."

He cocked his head to the side, "Why?"

"I'll fall."

He chuckled, "I promise you won't fall," He went to lift her leg but felt it tense beneath his hand. "Chele," He sighed as he let her other leg slide off his shoulder and stood. He palmed her face and looked down at her, "You have to let me in. You have to let me love you."

"I do, I have." She retorted.

"No, you tell yourself you have, but you are keeping me at arms length." He replied, his voice softly reprimanding.

She looked up at him, and knew he was telling her the truth but she just couldn't let the walls down.

He saw the moment she realized what she had done, and knew that no matter how many times he explained things to her she would just have to see it. He lowered his lips to hers once more, kissing her with every ounce of the love he felt for her before pulling away from her. "Go pack, if you still want to go. I'll show you when we get there." She stared at him for a second before she nodded and turned toward her bedroom.

"I don't know about this." Chele stated as she stepped out of her bedroom into the living room. She placed the shirts she had in her hand in the bag that sat on the couch.

"Don't know about what?" He asked standing, moving to her side.

"Going with you. I," She licked her lips and looked up at him. God, how could she tell him no. His gray eyes searched her face and she inhaled deeply, "I don't think I understand everything." She was loathed to tell him that she was terrified.

Embry sighed and palmed her shoulders, "I know, and I'm sorry. I don't know how else to explain it. That's why I think it's better if I take you home and show you."

"Okay but you love me?" Embry nodded and she felt her heart flutter against her chest, "But you have to love me because of this... this imprint?"

"No, well I mean I do. God," Embry groaned and turned from her. "It's not like it sounds. It's not that I don't _want_ to love you because I do. It's not that I _have_ to love you, but I want to love you so much that I have to love you." He squinted his eyes, that didn't even make sense to him. He shook his head and turned back to her. "Chele I love you. I know I've only known you for a few weeks but I do. I love you."

"So it was kinda like love at first sight?" She asked, as she slowly wrung her hands.

"Kinda, but stronger so much stronger." Embry replied from across the room. "I've heard it called the Great Love."

She looked at him, really looked at him. If he had been anyone else she would have never listened to his insane declarations, but she knew there was something about him that seemed to call to her.

Embry stared at her as she looked at him, and saw as her mind wandered and he wondered for a moment what she was thinking about. He saw the fear flash on her face but he knew that it wasn't him she was scared of, at least not physically, but that she was scared of getting hurt. He knew, somehow, that she had been hurt by someone she had loved, she had never said anything to him but he knew. He could smell the lingering pain on her. His heart ached for her, wishing that he could have met her earlier, before she had been hurt. He itched to cross the room and take her in his arms but he needed her to make this choice on her own. He needed to know that she had come on her own, not because he begged or she felt pressured.

He needed to know that when he got her to La Push that she wasn't going to hate him when he showed her who he really was. He needed her to feel safe enough to trust him, and if she didn't today then he would try again, and again and again.

"Em?" Her voice pulled him from his rambling thoughts.

"Yeah."

She bit her bottom lip, straightened her shoulders and nodded, "Okay."

He stepped toward her, paused, cocked a brow and asked, "Okay what?"

She swallowed dryly, pushing her fear aside. Embry was what she had always wanted, and he loved her. Said that he loved her so much he had to love her, what else could she ask for? "I'll go."

He crossed the room to her then, his hands held her shoulders as he looked down at her. "You're sure?"

"Yes," She replied and welcomed his kiss as he lowered his head to hers.

Embry lifted her bag and placed it into the back of his truck covering it against the rain he knew they would encounter on their way to La Push. He turned and looked down at Chele who stood beside him at the driver's side door, "Are you sure about this?"

"You keep asking me that, I said I'd go."

"I know it's just-" Embry stopped as she pressed her fingers against his lips.

"There's no going back once it's done," He nodded against her fingers, "Em, I don't understand everything, as if there is something you aren't telling me," She saw the fear flash in his eyes, "But I know that you will tell me when we get to La Push," He nodded again, "and I know that you won't hurt me, so stop asking me. I'm going home with you, and we will figure this all out together okay?" She lowered her hand only to have him take it in his and lift it back to his mouth where he placed a kiss against her fingers.

"Okay." He released her hand and pulled open the drivers door. He palmed her waist and sat her into the truck a smile forming on his face as Chele's pupils dilated. He waited until he she slide to the middle of the truck seat then climbed in after her and settled himself behind the wheel. "Here goes nothing." He stated with a grin as he started his truck.

As they neared La Push the tension in the truck grew to a palpable level, so much so it seemed to be hard to breathe. Embry knew he was taking a chance by bringing Chele out here and showing her what he was, but he couldn't just tell her he was a werewolf and expect her to understand and accept it until she saw it. And he couldn't claim her for his own without showing her this side of him, hell it was more than a side of him, it was more than half of who he was. He wanted her to accept him, needed her to love him for his fur and all.

He glanced back down at her as he crossed the boundary and saw her shoulders relax just a bit and he smiled. He knew that if she relaxed when she hit the boundary line then she would accept him. He wound his arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him, "Welcome home baby." He whispered against the top of her head.

"Why does it feel that way?" She asked looking up at him.

"What, feel like home?" She nodded, "Because that's what it is. You are my imprint and this is my home, my place of safety so whatever part of you connected to me feels what I feel."

"So you feel like you are at home as soon as you cross the boundary line?"

He nodded, "Well mine is actually before that because I know where the boundary line is exactly and it's 30 feet before the sign." She nodded and turned her attention to the sites around her. He slowed and after turning on his signal turned down the road that lead to Jake's, Leah's and his house.

Embry released his hold on her shoulders as he pulled into his driveway. He sighed as he looked down at her, "Here we are."

"I like it." She replied honestly. Embry's house was a true embodiment of who she felt Embry was. It was a log cabin, but it wasn't overly rustic. "Lets go I want to see the inside." She said with a smile as she pushed on his shoulder. He laughed and pushed open the door, sliding to the ground before turning for her. "What are we going to do when I have to go somewhere without you?" She asked as she placed her hands on his shoulders as he lifted her from the seat.

He sat her on her feet and she yelped as he placed his arm behind her legs and lifted her in his arms. "That's my whole devious plot, if my truck is big enough and you have no other ride then I will have to go everywhere with you." Chele chuckled and kissed the side of his neck as he climbed the stairs of the front porch.

"I like your devious plots."

"Well, you like my big truck, my devious plots I wonder what else you will like." His voice was laced with a mirth.

When he stopped at the door she pulled his face to her, "I really really like you." She pulled herself up and kissed him deeply.

He groaned as she pulled away from him, "You keep doing that and I might never let you go." He groaned as she giggled and kissed him again. He growled playfully and squeezed her. "Here, you tease, unlock the door." He opened his hand and she pulled the keys out of his palm. "It's-"

"No! Shush!" She said never turning her face to his, "I want to see if I can find the right one."

He laughed but held his tongue. He watched as she sorted through each one rapidly and blinked as she picked the correct one and slide it into the lock. "How did you know that?" He had at least 15 keys on his key ring, and at least 3 of them looked the same, he even got them mixed up sometimes.

She shrugged, "I don't know." She twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door. "You're carrying me over the threshold?" She asked as she turned back to face him. He nodded and she licked her lips. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "This is more to you then me just coming home with you isn't it?" She already knew the answer, and in all honestly it was a stupid question but she didn't care at the moment, she wanted to know why it was so important to him.

He nodded, "I-" He started, but paused and looked over her shoulder into the house, "I have something that I have to show you and I don't know how you are going to take it."

"Then show me, and we will see how I take it." She smiled up at him confidently.

He wanted to forget about this, to just take her into his house and claim her. But he knew that he couldn't. If he claimed her and then she rejected him he wouldn't be able to survive it. It would crush everything within him. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Please know that I love you."

"Embry you are freaking me out," She spoke and he when opened his eyes she saw the love shining there blindingly bright, "I love you. I came home with you, I love you."

He inhaled and exhaled before he sat her down on her feet, "I just pray that you can still love me after this." He pressed his lips to her forehead and descended the stairs.

"Embry?" She chased after him until he stepped to the bottom step and shook his head.

"Stay on the porch until I come to you, then you can come down-" His voice broke and it cut at her heart, "if you can." She nodded unable to form words around the ache in her heart at the sound in Embry's voice.

She watched as he stepped onto the ground and moved away from the porch. Her eyebrows knitted together as he pulled his shirt up and over his head. Her mind swam as she watched him undress, and glanced around looking for neighbors who could see him standing in his front yard naked but realized that his house was surrounded by trees and no one could see through them. Her gaze was snatched back to him as he growled loudly, a sound far too realistic to be coming from a human's mouth. His shoulders jerked left, then right and another growl, if that is what it could be called it sounded more like a roar this time, came from his body; and before her eyes his russet skin she so loved was washed away by a thick coat of silvery fur. Her hand went to her mouth as she blinked her eyes. "Embry?" She knew it was him, she had seen him change but couldn't stop her mouth as she spoke.

His back was still toward her, and he slowly turned his head and looked at her over his left shoulder. She gasped as she saw his gray eyes that had once stood out against his black hair and russet skin now matched his fur perfectly and she felt herself descending the stairs.

He turned toward her, his head lowered, eyes closed. He couldn't look at her again in his wolf form until he knew if she would except him, the longing for her was already too strong for him to be able to withstand it if she refused him.

"Embry?" She called again as she came to a stop in front of him. He inhaled deeply, the smell of peaches and cherry blossoms overwhelmed him, making his body ache for hers.

Before he could lift his head, or open his eyes he felt her fingers against his head and he sighed, his entire body relaxing as she dug her fingers into his thick fur. His eyes snapped open as she pressed her face against his forehead and inhaled deeply, "I have always loved the way you smell, you smell like the sea, pine and something else." She whispered so softly that he knew in his human form he would have never heard her. "So this what you were so scared to tell me or show me?" She moved a little to the side so she could look him in the eye.

He nodded and whimpered lightly, he would give anything to be able to speak to her but knew that he couldn't change back now not until he knew for sure.

She nodded and moved further down his side her fingers running through the fur on his side and he groaned as her nails slid through to his skin beneath and he shivered bringing a giggle to her lips. "It's so soft." She said as she continued down his body. She leaned up onto her toes, her head came to the middle of his side, and ran her hand down his spine. She laughed as his back leg jerked, so much like a dog. She continued around his body until she stood on the other side of his head. "Stand up straight." He hadn't moved his head since she came down the stairs and he pulled his legs closer together and lifted his head. "Jesus you are huge." She exclaimed as she tilted her head back and looked up at him.

He smiled his wolfy grin and lowered his nose to hers and she giggled as his cold nose touched hers, "You are a perv even now." He nodded but sobered as he looked down at her. He tilted his head to the side and whimpered. She knew what he was asking and she knew the answer but she wanted just a minute more with him like this. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face into the downy fur beneath his chin. She sighed as she felt him lower his head and hugged her to him. "Can you change back for me?" She pulled away from him as he released her and stepped away from him as he nodded. She watched his eyes darkened for a moment and the fur seemed to simply fade into his russet skin and before she knew it Embry was kneeling on the ground in front of her. He stood slowly, as if he was stiff, his breath came in gasps as he moved toward her unconcerned with his nudity.

He inhaled deeply and his eyes closed, "Can you accept me for what I am?"

She didn't answer but smiled widely and just as she expected when she didn't reply he opened his eyes and looked at her, "Claim me now, or I won't be held accountable for my actions."

He stood there staring at her, his mouth dropping open as he smelled her arousal and his mouth went dry as she started unbuttoning her jeans, "Fuck yes!" he growled as he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her tightly against his body lifting her, letting her wrap her legs around his waist.

"Take me Embry, please." She whispered as she latched onto his neck nibbling then lapping the pain away.

He didn't say another word as he climbed the stairs and moved through the door kicking it shut behind him. "Tour later, I promise." He growled as she looked up as he went through the living room. He continued through the house into his bedroom.

"Good." She replied with a groan as the hand that rest on her ass moved between her legs and pressed heavily against her core, "Em!" She whimpered as he moved his hand.

"Don't worry." He smirked as he kicked his bedroom door shut. "I'm right here." He dropped her to the floor gently and pulled her shirt open sending buttons flying in every direction before he dropped to his knees and ripped open her jeans, the zipper screaming as he destroyed it. He had to know if she had truthfully accepted him and he didn't care what he had to do to get there. She kicked off her shoes as he pulled her jeans and panties down her legs. "Legs over my shoulders." He growled as she unclasped her bra and threw it over his shoulder.

"Help me." She replied and he shook his head. "Damn it Embry." She growled and placed one leg over his shoulder. He waited until the last minute before he took her waist in his hands and held her still as she leaned back against the wall and lifted her other leg to his shoulder.

He groaned as he lifted her and settled himself closer to her core and she screamed as he latched onto her clit pulling it into his mouth. He pulled at her, flicking the tiny nub over and over again until she shook above him. Just as she shattered he moved pushing his tongue into her body tasting her release on his tongue and his cock hardened further to a roaring ache.

He grinned against her as she pulled at his hair whimpering and complaining that it was too much, yet not enough. He released his hold on her and let her legs slide to the floor. He chuckled as her legs gave way and he lifted her from the floor. He carried her to the bed and placed her in the center before he joined her, laying his weight above her. Embry stared down at her as he ran his thumbs along her cheek bones taking in her beauty, "There is no going back from this."

She nodded, "I know, and I don't want to."

"You accept me completely?" He couldn't help but ask.

She nodded, "Fur, fleas and all." She smiled brightly as his eyes drifted shut.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to show you that part of me."

"Well you did and I'm so happy you did. I love that part of you because it's you. And it's really cool." She stuck her tongue out at him and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah it is. But I have to be sure before I do this, I can't stop loving you now and after this," He paused and inhaled, "I won't be able to stand for you to leave me."

"Embry," She licked her lips and placed her hand against his face, "listen to me." She paused and he nodded, "I want this, I want you. I was unsure before because I knew there was something that you weren't telling me and now I understand why. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you want me to call tomorrow and quit my job and live here I will, I don't care. _I want you!_"

Before she could continue Embry's mouth descended on hers and he kissed her deeply. "I'm never letting you go." He growled before he adjusted himself and pressed himself against her core.

"I won't let you let me go." She forced out as he pushed himself inside her. She whimpered as he continued her body stretching to accommodate his size.

"I'm sorry." He whispered as he stilled his movements before pulling out and pushing back into her again going a little further into her this time.

"No apologies."

His eyes drifted shut as her body tightened against him, fighting his size, "Relax baby," He spoke through his gritted teeth.

She nodded and inhaled deeply and he felt her body relax. He pushed further into her until she tightened again and he stilled. He pulled from her slowly until just his head remained in her then pushed back into her in one slow smooth movement.

His eyes snapped open as her body tightened like a vise around him and her back arched, "Embry!" Her nails bit into his back as she shattered and he held perfectly still letting her ride her release until she started to relax and he pushed into her further. She whimpered as he pulled from her again and they both groaned as he pushed back into her again until his hips pressed against hers.

"Holy fuck." He muttered against her shoulder as her body shuttered around his length.

"Embry," Chele called to him, her eyes still shut, "Please." She whimpered as she rocked her hips against him.

"You are going to be the death of me." He whispered as he pulled from her body and pushed back into her. She gasped and he did the same movement again and ground his teeth together as she shattered around him.

With the pull of her body his wolf took over and he pulled her arms above her head and pulled from her body rocking back into her with short quick strokes until his name echoed above them as she shattered again.

He continued to move within her until her shutters eased and he moved back onto his knees, his hands holding her hips. He spread his legs letting her rest between his thighs and he pushed into her deeply and he pulled back moving with long, deep strokes the feel of her body clinging to him was his undoing and he groaned his first release shortly after her fourth release.

"Don't move." Embry whispered as he pressed a kiss to Chele's forehead a few hours later. His still hard cock ached and he knew that she had to be hurting also. He pushed from the bed knowing that he had to give Chele a break or he would damage her.

"I don't think you have to worry about that." She whispered as she laid in the middle of the bed, her breath still coming in gasps.

He chuckled and made his way to the bathroom across the room. He pulled a wash cloth from the linen closet and warmed it with hot water, squeezing the excess out before returning to her on the bed. "Chele?" he asked as he neared her, her eyes were shut but he could tell she wasn't asleep.

"Hmm?" She asked, her head tilting toward him slowly. She smiled lazily and he grinned.

"Just making sure you are okay." He replied and sat down on the side of the bed before moving between her legs.

"I'm fine, What are you doing?" She hadn't seen the cloth in his hand. "Oh!" She sighed as the warm cloth touched her tender skin.

Embry watched her face as he gently cleaned her, being careful to not hurt her but letting the heat of the cloth take away some of the tenderness. He moved from her core and cleaned the inside of her thighs after seeing the redness that tinted the skin there. He lowered his head to her legs and kissed her softly bringing a gasp and sigh from Chele.

"Please Embry," Chele couldn't believe that she needed him again, but she felt the flame that only he could extinguish burn as he laved her inner thigh with his tongue.

He never lifted his head from her legs, "What do you want Chele?"

"You, please."

"I'm here." He caressed the outside of her legs and she shivered beneath the touch.

"I need you again."

"You are too tender baby, but I'll do this instead." She gasped and her fingers laced into his hair as licked her core in one slow gentle lick. She groaned his name and it was the most amazing sound he had ever heard and he did it again pushing her to hear it again. He never sped his movements, pulling on her clit softly only letting his lips pull at her until she shook beneath him and he earned another moan from her mouth. He pulled from her and pressed the now cooling cloth between his hands and warmed it again before pressing it against her tender skin again.

Once she was clean he moved to the bed behind her and pulled her tightly against his chest. She gasped as she felt his hot arousal pressed against her back, "Embry!" She exclaimed as she pulled from his embrace.

"What?" He asked looking up at her as she turned to face him.

"You're still hard?" She look in the long lines of his body to his cock that looked painfully erect.

"It's fine."

"No it's not!" She pushed him on his back and with a grunt he went.

"Baby, it's gonna be that way-" His words died on his lips as she wrapped her hand around him and licked his head.

"You were saying?" She asked with a chuckle before she opened her mouth and took his head into her mouth.

"I was talking?" He asked and groaned as she took more of him into her mouth. He knew that he would be hard until his wolf was satisfied but he couldn't continue loving her possibly hurting her in the process. His wolf would have to wait until tomorrow.

"I didn't think so." She replied and moved between his thighs. He pushed to his elbows needing to watch her as she loved him and he groaned as she stared up at him as she took his cock deep into her mouth.

"Fuck me." He groaned and fell back to the bed as she groaned around his cock.

"Later," She mumbled around his length before she began her rhythm.

Before long Embry was writhing beneath her, his hands resting on her shoulders holding her hair from her face so he could watch her as she loved him. The sight was too much and he groaned, "Baby, I'm about to cum." He tensed to give her time to pull away but his eyes rolled back in his head as she only tightened her pull on him and pulled him deeper into her mouth. He looked down at her one more time and she palmed his balls. It was all he could handle and with a roar he came, his hips moving on their accord, the comforter beneath him fisted in his hands.

He shook beneath her as she laved his cock with her tongue and he whimpered as she pressed a kiss to the head before she moved to lay beside him. He shook his head and pulled her to lie on top of his chest, her legs on each side of his waist. He smiled as he realized how small she was compared to his body. Her head lay on his shoulder and her feet barely reached his knees.

"I love you." he kissed her forehead and waited until she lifted her head and kissed her deeply when she did.

"I love you too." She whispered looking down at him when he pulled from her lips.

She looked down at him a few minutes later as he moved beneath her, "What am I too heavy?"

He harrumphed and shot her a look, "Yeah right, get used to it this is where you sleep from now on." She gave him a surprised look, "Yes, I'm serious and it's nothing really."

"No what is it?" She pushed up and looked over her shoulder at his body and smiled. His body was still hard but it didn't look as painful as it had been before. "Feel better?" She asked as she turned to look at him.

"Much," He grinned and pulled her back down to his chest, "Get some rest."

"You are serious about me sleeping here aren't you?"

"Yes, are you trying to tell me that you aren't comfortable?" It had always been so weird to him, Jake and Quil when they had heard how most imprints slept with their wolf but now as he held her tightly against his body, her weight nestled so perfectly against him it all made since. And if it hadn't, it wouldn't have mattered he needed to feel her against him.

She yawned and he laughed, "No, not at all."

"Sleep baby, I'll be here when you wake." He kissed her forehead and looked down at her as she wrapped her hand around his thumb and he sighed happily as he let sleep come to him after he felt her fall asleep.


	15. Chapter 14

Charlie looked up at Jake as he descended the stairs a few minutes later. "I figured I'd have to come up there and separate you two."

Jake chuckled, proud Charlie didn't realize how true his statement was, "Here are your keys back." He pulled the keys out of his pocket and held them out to Charlie.

Charlie looked at the keys, then up at Jake before turning his attention back to the TV, "I'm leaving at 10 to go to Seattle with Sue."

Jake nodded and slid the keys back into his pocket, "When will you be back?"

"Tomorrow night, Sue has a lawyers appointment about Harry's will and the kids." Jake nodded and shoved his hands into his pants pocket. "Take care of her Jake." He finally turned and looked up at Jake.

"Always Charlie, always." Jake nodded and with a final goodbye to Charlie bounded down the stairs to his car. He glanced back at Bella's still dark window and grinned as he climbed into his car.

Bella stretched slowly, enjoying the moment until she smelled bacon. "Charlie's cooking?" She jumped from her bed, forgetting that during the night she had changed out of her jeans and into a pair of pajama shorts and tank top, and hurried down the stairs.

Jake grinned as he heard Bella's footfalls on the stairs followed shortly by her voice, "Dad?"

He looked over his shoulder as she entered the kitchen and felt every ounce of his blood rush to his lower body, "Jake? What are you doing here and where is Charlie?"

He stared at her nearly bare legs, her thin tank top highlighting more than it covered and he found himself speechless as the images crashing through his mind.

"Jacob?" She asked again, and he groaned her voice only lending itself to his overactive imagination.

"Fuck!" He pulled his hand away from the pan in front of him as the bacon popped and burnt his hand.

Bella was to his side a second later, pulling him across the room to the sink. He watched in stunned awe as she turned the water on and slid his reddened hand under the cold water. A few minutes later she turned the water off and looked up at him, "Stay here, I'll be right back." She bolted from the room and climbed the stairs. Jake cringed as he heard her stumble on one of the stairs and held his breath as she came back down the stairs a second later. "This will help." She said as she came around the corner into the kitchen. He didn't have the heart to tell her that his body had already healed itself, only the redness remained as she applied aloe to his hand. "There, should be all better tomorrow."

"Thank you." He smiled down at her, and watched as her walls build back up, as if she didn't realize that she had been taking care of him so lovingly. "Don't."

"What?" She asked, licking her lips before she took a step back.

"Don't shut me out, please."

"I'm not," She lied so poorly Jake could smell it.

"Yes, you are. Please, I'm begging you. Don't shut me out." He took a step toward her and saw her tense. He sighed, lowered his head and turned back to the now burnt bacon.

Bella watched him and felt her heart break at his reaction to her movements. "I'm sorry." She wrung her hands as he moved around the kitchen.

"You didn't do anything." He replied, throwing the bacon away. "Charlie is in Seattle with Sue for the day. He said he would be back later tonight." Bella heard the hurt in his voice, and it cut her to core. "I'll go, I'll see you later." He moved passed her to the door of the kitchen, before pausing. "Bye Bells." He grinned as he made his way to the door. He pulled open the front door and stepped out onto the porch, "Three," he stepped down one stair, "two," he stepped down the next, "and one."

"JAKE!" Bella yelled from inside the house. He paused on the bottom step before turning as she opened the door. "Jake!" She stepped onto the front porch, "Don't go please. I'm sorry. I won't shut you out, I promise. Come back inside." She went to step down onto the top step and he shook his head and joined her on the porch.

"You promise you won't shut me out again?" He asked, fighting to keep the smug smirk off his face.

"I promise." She replied honestly looking up into his eyes, and he knew that even if she hadn't come to the door that he couldn't have left her.

"Okay." He hugged her tightly to him, and was pleased when she didn't tense, but instead wrapped her own arms around his waist and hugged him back. "Okay, lets try this whole breakfast thing again." He pushed open the door and guided her back into the house his hand on the small of her back.

"How many layers should I wear?" Bella called from her room after Jake sent her to get ready for a day out.

"You know how cold it gets at the beach at night, just dress warmly." He replied from the couch as he flipped through the channels.

"Thanks, that's so helpful." She replied back sarcastically. He laughed and shook his head.

He stood as he heard her descending the stairs and grinned as she paused on the stairs, "I debated on whether or not to dress up like that kid from 'A Christmas Story'." She held her arms out to the side like she had on so many layers she couldn't lower her arms.

He shook his head and laughed, "That would have been pretty," He replied raising his eyebrows.

"Oh I know." She grinned as she stepped onto the floor. "I think I'm ready. If I get cold, I'm sure there will be someone willing to share their body heat. Quil or maybe Paul?"

"Oh, you are bad." He growled and palmed her hips. She shrieked as he threw her over his shoulder. "I should throw you into the ocean for that comment."

"Nah, Charlie would be mad at you. I might drown," She replied laughing.

He nodded as he stepped outside the door and pulled it together before locking it. "True but I'd blame it on you, and he'd let it go." He yelped as she pinched his back. "I will drop you in the first mud puddle I find."

"No you won't." She wrapped her arms around his waist, she was upside down but he would have to pry her arms from around him. "You'd have to dunk us both."

"I'm not scared of getting dirty, remember, I'm part wolf."

She looked around his side as he walked past his car and towards a very large, very nasty looking puddle at the other side of the road, "JACOB BLACK! You wouldn't dare."

He cracked up laughing as her legs started flailing around, "God stay still. I'm not going to dunk you, I might drop you but I'm not going to dunk you."

"Promise?" She asked, her movements stilling.

"Yes," He turned back toward his car and lowered her to the ground at the passenger side door.

"So where are we going?" Bella asked as she buckled her seat belt when Jake started the car.

"My house first then probably to see Embry, then we have a bonfire tonight." Jake replied as he put his hand on the back of her seat, pulling out of her driveway.

"Dad said you had a bonfire just the other night."

"Yeah, well this will be just the pack. Em's brought his imprint home." Jake listened as Bella's heart rate sped and he sighed the worry flooding back into his mind.

Bella bit her lip as they pulled into Billy's driveway, "What are you so worried about?" Jake asked as he pulled Bella's chin to face him, "You are going to eat your lip off if you keep that up."

"What if he doesn't want to see me?" Bella asked, the concern showing brightly on her face.

"Who?" Jake asked turning his attention back to the drive as he neared the house.

"Who else? Your dad." Bella replied as if it was obvious.

"Do you even remember my dad? He loved you like a kid, he will be happy to see you. Ecstatic even." Jake put the car into park and turned to her, "Stop worrying so much, everything will work out okay?"

She inhaled deeply and sighed, "Okay."

"Ready?"

"Yeah," Bella pushed open her door as Jake climbed from his seat.

"Well, if the lost tribe member doesn't finally return." Billy called from the front porch. "It's about time."

"Hey Billy." Bella called as she made her way toward the house. She looked up at Jake as he neared her and placed his hand on the small of her back.

"Told you." He whispered. She nodded and followed him to the house.

"Okay, I'm going to call Embry's and get him out of bed," Jake grinned as he stood and made his way to the kitchen.

"Why would he be in bed?" Billy asked, unaware that Embry had returned the night before with Chele.

"He brought Chele home yesterday." Jake called back.

"And, oh! Jake!" Billy laughed as he looked at the red faced Bella.

"What? Oh, yeah sorry." Jake grinned and shrugged his shoulders as he picked up the phone. He dialed the all too familiar numbers and waited as the phone rang. And rang and rang. He sighed prepared to hang up when Embry's voice flowed over the line.

"You better have a damn good reason for calling, Black." He growled and Jake cracked up laughing. "What the hell are you laughing at? Oh you just wait, pay backs are a bitch."

"I'd apologize but I'm not sorry. Dude you gotta let her come up for air, we are having a bonfire in two hours, be there."

"We just had one the other night, hang on." He heard Embry place his hand over the mouthpiece as he spoke to someone, he was assuming was Chele in the background, "No nothing is wrong, I'll be right there." He growled as he returned to the phone, "Jake I'm gonna kill you. KILL YOU!" He whispered harshly.

"Nah, be there."

"Damn it!" He paused, "Fine, three hours."

"Two."

"Fuck, okay. Two hours." Jake laughed as he heard the phone click.

Jake was still laughing as he called the rest of the pack to plan the bonfire and was pleased that all but Sam and Paul declined the offer.

Jake chuckled as he pulled into a parking spot at the edge of the beach, "What?" Bella asked as he turned the car off.

"I expected us to be the first ones here but the fire's already going."

"Oh, who is it?" Bella squinted to see but couldn't see clearly enough at that far of a distance.

"Looks like Leah, Jesse and Seth."

"Jesse?" Bella asked as Jake pushed open his door.

"Oh, yeah forgot about that. Jesse is Leah's imprint."

"Wait!" She followed Jake out of the car, "I thought Leah couldn't imprint."

"That's what we all thought, well at least that's what the legends said, only males of the tribe with the gene would imprint, but Leah's the first woman so I guess she gets to make up the rules as she goes along." Jake lifted the trunk and pulled the two bags of hot dogs from the truck. "I'll get it." He told Bella as she took the bag of hot dog buns from him.

"Let me do something." Bella replied before turning toward the beach, "So that makes only you, Seth and Paul who haven't imprinted?" She bit her lip as she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Well, lets just say that one of us has imprinted but hasn't told that person yet." Jake refused to lie to her, but he wasn't going to drop the bomb on her here, now.

"Oh, Paul hasn't told her? Why not?" She turned and looked up at him, her attention centered on him completely.

He sighed, she could be _so_ oblivious sometimes, "Because he is worried how she will take the news. He's worried that she will be mad at him because he hasn't told her, or that she doesn't love him like he loves her."

"Oh," Bella replied, "So if she doesn't love him, what happens? Does he just move on, find another imprint?"

"No, there is only one. If something should happen to her or him in Leah's case then that would be it. If Jesse died or left Leah then she would forever mourn for him, or forever miss him."

Bella gasped, "Are you serious? She could never get over it?"

Jake understood what Bella was asking, "No, she could never fix it. It might get easier after decades," Jake knew it took more than six years, "probably not."

"Oh god. What will he do?" Bella asked about Paul's choice.

"He's going to tell her and pray when he does that she loves him like he loves her."

"Do you think she does?"

"Yeah, I do. There are moments of time that you can see it in her eyes, I think in all honesty she is just as scared of loving him as he is of loving her."

"Well if that's the case, then he should tell her. It could be good." She replied with a smile.

Jake nodded, "He will, he will tell her."

"Good." Bella replied and smiled as they neared the bonfire.

"I thought we would be the first ones here," Jake called as they neared log benches.

Leah looked over her shoulder and grinned, "Nah, you are slow Chief."

"Yeah yeah," He handed the bags to Seth and lifted Bella across the large log, "Bella this is Jesse, Leah's imprint and fiance, Jesse this is Bella."

Jesse unwrapped his arm from Leah's shoulder and shook Bella's hand, "Nice to meet you."

"You too."

"It's about time you came back home," Seth called from the other side of the fire.

"Yeah I've heard that a few times today." Bella replied as she shot Jake a look.

"What? I told you," He replied with a laughed and a shrug.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Legend

"What? I told you," He replied with a laugh and a shrug.

Bella shook her head, "Yeah."

Jake laughed as he settled onto the log, "Come here." He held his hand out to Bella as she shivered. She smiled as she placed her hand in his and he wrapped her in his warmth. "Is that better?" He whispered against her hair as she settled herself against him. He leaned back onto the log, his back resting on a knot where a limb had once grown.

"Much better." She replied honestly, loving how they seemed to have fallen back into their old routines. She felt foolish for a moment for worrying so heavily about her love for Jake. _Maybe it's worth it?_ The voice in her head called. She looked up at him as he said something to Leah, his smile wide on his face, his eyes bright with happiness, _Maybe, just maybe_. She replied quietly.

He tightened his arm around her as if he knew she was looking at him and she looked back down at the fire as his gaze moved. "Whatcha thinking about?" He whispered against he top of her head.

She smiled, and wondered how much she would, could tell him. "You."

"Me?" He asked, she didn't have to see his face to know his brows were knitted together. "What about me?"

"Well about us actually." She whispered quietly.

"Okay?"

"Just thinking about how," She lifted his hand and played with his fingers as she spoke, "well we have come back together, after all this time I mean."

"Bells, there are people in this world that are meant to be in each others life, no matter what. It doesn't matter the distance, or the time between them. They will always find each other, and it always feels right. You should know that by now that's how we are. No matter what I'll always be here."

Bella sat up and turned to face him, "I'm so sorry."

Jake panicked for a second by the look in her eyes, worried she was about to bolt again but his fear subsided as she placed her hand on his chest and leaned forward. He looked over at Leah and as if she could understand what he was saying without speaking she stood.

"Come on guys, lets go get some more wood." She pulled Jesse up from the bench and they followed Seth out of the circle.

"Sorry for what?" he asked placing his hand over hers, keeping it's coolness pressed to his t shirt covered chest.

"Jake, I'm so sorry for leaving." She looked down, trying to hide the tears from him, "I just didn't know what to do."

His eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"

She looked up at him and licked her lips, "I- I mean, I left because I-"

"YO, YO, YO!" Quil called as he neared the benches. Jake watched helplessly as Bella's head snapped toward the crowd nearing the fire and pulled from him.

Jake growled quietly as she moved away from him, he had been so fucking close! He looked up, death written in his eyes as Quil called his name.

"Whoa!" Quil took a step back, "What the fuck dude?"

"Nothing." He sighed and ran a hand down his face. He saw Bella shiver again and pulled her back against his warmth, "Come here." He whispered, "Stay." He pleaded as she struggled against his hold.

"But-" She started and he squeezed her for a second, he needed her to be this close.

"No buts. I want you here." He moved and straddled the log his back still against the knot but pulled her into the v of his legs, "Now stay here or you will get cold." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and after pressing a light kiss to the top of her head turned his attention to Embry as he neared the fire.

Embry slowed as he and Chele made their way across the sand. He stared at Jake as if asking permission to bring her into the circle and Jake nodded once. Embry returned the nod and continued toward them, turning to look down at Chele as she looked up at him.

"_Don't be nervous." Jake heard Embry's voice clearly over the roar of the ocean._

"_But-" She turned and looked at everyone in the circle._

"_Baby," Embry paused and turned toward her, palming her cheeks, "I swear they will accept you."_

"_But I'm not-" Embry shaking his head stopped her words._

"_It doesn't matter. You are not the only non tribe member that is an imprint." Embry looked over his shoulder to Jake then turned his gaze back to Chele, "I promise everything will be okay."_

She took a deep breath and nodded. He smiled down at her and pulled her toward the now growing group, as Leah, Jesse and Seth returned, after taking her hand in his.

Embry palmed Chele's hips and lifted her over the log and guided her toward Jake. "Jake," He said as he neared him, "This is Chele."

Bella sat up as Embry came to a stop in front of them and Jake stood from his seat. He glanced down at Bella then turned his attention to Chele. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Jake said then turned to Embry. He gave Embry a brotherly hug, "Welcome to the Pack Family." Jake smiled down at Chele before turning his attention back to Bella, "Chele this is Bella," Jake continued pointing out each of the rest of the members of the pack present and their significant others before stating, "And everyone this is Chele, Embry's imprint." Bella laughed softly as the entire pack howled. She smiled up at Chele and patted the log beside her as Embry was congratulated by the pack.

"Hi." Bella said softly, "A little overwhelming isn't it?"

"More like a lot." Chele replied just as softly.

Bella looked at Chele, "How are you handling everything?" She didn't know if Embry had told her everything, but she had a feeling that he had told her almost everything.

"I'm doing okay. It was a little overwhelming before we got here but once we arrived I think it made it a little more... I don't know." Chele shrugged unable to explain the feeling of comfort she got from everything about La Push.

"You don't have to explain. It's been this way for me since I was old enough to remember. I mean I wasn't always here like in Washington but I always knew that it was my home. And being on the reservation is home." Chele nodded in agreement.

"How is that possible? I didn't even know Embry a month ago and I feel more at home with him here then I do at my own home?"

Bella shrugged, "I don't know maybe it's because here is where you are supposed to be?" Bella's own words hit her harshly. She knew it was the truth, because she did always feel at home with Jake but how could she stay knowing that one day he would imprint? How could she live her life and be happy when the shoe would drop one day and she would end up just like Leah had. She shook her head to clear her thoughts knowing that if she didn't she would push Jake away and she had promised that she wouldn't do that and she didn't want to do that.

Bella and Chele looked up as Embry and Jake came back toward them. Bella smiled up at Jake as he settled beside her, his back again the knot again, "Come here baby." He smirked as he lifted her and plopped her down on his lap.

She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "You are a dork."

"Yes, I am but you love me so that has to say something about you." He replied his hands clasped around her back.

"I do." She whispered, suddenly wanting him to know that she did love him even if she could never stay with him she wanted him to know.

The smile slowly spread on his face and he nodded once. He licked his lips and inhaled slowly, "I know you do, and I do too."

He watched as her eyes lowered to his lips and he watched with baited breath as she lowered her head toward him. He heard the entire pack go completely still as they saw Bella's movements and he prayed that she wouldn't hear their silence before her lips met his. He held perfectly still until he felt the brush of her lips on his then he unclasped his hands and pressed her firmly against his chest but let her control the kiss.

He felt her mouth open above him and he teased her tongue with a gentle caress from his and she sighed softly. He felt her shift above him and he loosened his hold on her, worried that he if fought her she would pull away but he groaned as she wiggled against him, settling herself tighter against him, her fingers lacing into his hair and he couldn't hold back anymore. He slowly moved his hand up her back to palm her head, the other splaying widely across her back.

He heard the pack return to their normal noises and he allowed himself to get lost in her kiss, in Bella.

She pulled from him slowly, and he pulled her back down to him again unwilling to release her just yet. She giggled softly against his mouth as he pressed his lips against her chastely.

He opened his eyes and watched as her's opened slowly. He waited for her walls to come back but was shocked as they didn't. She turned and looked over her shoulder a blush creeping up her face as realized the kiss they shared had been witnessed by over a half a dozen people.

"Don't worry, they weren't looking." He lied as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

She cut her eyes to him as if to say she didn't believe him but nodded none the less, "Not much I can do about it now anyway, right?"

"Nope." He replied, popping the p and she grinned, "And if I have my way," He whispered against her ear, "I'll get another one later."

She grinned widely but didn't look at him, "Maybe."

"Oh, a challenge." He wound his arms around her waist again and squeezed her tightly, "I like it."

She laughed and shook her head before turning her attention to Jesse who sat beside Leah on the far side of the circle.

"What?" He cried as he looked down at Leah. "It's my nickname."

"Yeah." Leah replied with a deviant smirk on her face, "I'm sure they call you The Legend because you are legendary for falling on your ass."

"Oh," He growled and Leah screamed as Jesse started tickling her, "Take it back." He growled as he continued to torture her.

"No! Never!" She squealed slapping his hands off her sides. She screamed again as he moved his hand to the inside of her knee and squeezed, "OK!" She squirmed out from under his fingers and landed with a grunt on the sand. "God you are incorrigible!" She complained as he stood and lifted her from the sand.

"Yes, I know. But I'm as cool as ice, baby." The whole pack laughed as he started rapping Vanilla Ice's 'Ice Ice Baby'.

"I have seriously got to take you out into public more often, you need help." Leah stated as she pulled Jesse back down to sit beside her. She shook her head at his antics but the love for him shone brightly in her eyes.

Bella gasped and looked at Jake as she felt him stiffen under her, "What is it?" Her heart was racing as she turned to face him. She watched as he looked at each of the member of the pack.

She turned her attention back to the pack as Quil, Jared and Seth bolted from the circle and ran across the beach, "Bella, go with Jesse." Jake said as he lifted her from his lap and set her on her feet.

Bella looked over to Leah and Jesse as Leah stood, "Take them to the house. Okay?" Jesse nodded and pressed a kiss against Leah's lips.

"I love you." He whispered and she replied before turning toward Jake.

"Go with Bella and Jesse, I will come to their house to get you in just a little while." He took Chele's face in his hand and pressed a harsh kiss against her lips, "I will explain everything to you so soon as I get you. I love you." He kissed her again and turned away from her before he could say anymore.

"Jake?" Bella whispered looking up at Jake.

"It's okay baby." He whispered and pressed his lips against her, "Just go with Jesse everything will be okay." Jake could feel Bella's eyes on his back as he followed Embry and Leah out of the circle.

"Where is it?" Leah asked as they sprinted toward the woods.

"North end." Embry replied ripping his shirt up and over his head.

"Damn it! Why can't they stay out of the mountains?" Leah asked with a growl.

"Come on." Jesse called as he lifted the bag of unused hotdogs from the cooler beside the fire. He guided Chele from the fire and looked back at Bella, "Bella?"

"I'll come behind you. I'll drive Jake's car."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yeah, Jake asked me to drive it to his house." Bella smiled as she lied and followed Jesse from the bonfire.

Jesse looked over his shoulder one more time as Bella climbed into Jake's car and as she cranked the car he climbed into his truck with Chele. Bella waited until he pulled out of his parking spot then followed Jesse away from the beach.

Jesse watched as he turned onto his and Leah's road and hoped that Bella was actually going to Jake's house. He slowed watching through the trees as her brake lights lit where they should if she was turning onto Jake's road.

"What is going on?" Chele asked as Jesse turned his attention back to the road.

"What do you mean?" Jesse had no clue what all Embry had told Chele and there really needed to be a manual of what should be told to an imprint.

"You know exactly what I mean. What did they run off to do? I know Em's a werewolf but why did he leave like that?"

Jesse sighed and looked at Chele, he wasn't about to drop this bombshell, "You will have to ask Embry when he comes back."

Chele looked at him, "You aren't going to tell me anything are you?"

"No, it's not my place to." Jesse replied quietly and watched as Chele turned her attention to the trees outside her window.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16 Ockham's Razor**

_**Ockham's Razor: noun, (Ock·ham's ra·zor) the philosophical and scientific rule that simple explanations should be preferred to more complicated ones**_

"_Do you think that was the last of them?" Seth asked as they ran along the border between the reservation and Forks._

"_Yeah." Jake replied honestly. He couldn't feel or smell anything that seemed to point toward more than one of the leeches._

"_Okay. I'm swinging by to get my truck does anyone need a ride?" Embry asked as they neared the beach._

"_I'm coming that way." Jake replied and veered toward the beach, "I'll be there to get Bella in a few minutes Leah."_

"_See you then." She called as she followed her brother toward her house._

_Jake came to a halt as he pushed through the trees. "What the hell? Where the hell is my car." He asked before his thoughts caught up with his mind._

"_Bella?" Embry asked as he stood beside his truck and Jake nodded, "You want to ride with me to Leah's?"_

"_No, I'm going on." Embry nodded and watched as his friend shot across the parking lot to the woods._

"_Leah! My car's not here tell me when you get home if she's there."_

"_Oh hell, okay almost there." Leah replied. Jake watched through her eyes as she neared her house. He couldn't smell Bella and was on the move before Leah's reply came, "She's not here."_

"_Fuck!" Jake roared, a howl ripping itself from his lungs as he changed his direction and headed toward his house. He felt Leah's presence fade then heard Seth's voice._

"_Leah said Jess said that she was going to your house, that you told her to take your car home."_

"_Thanks." Jake barked back and felt Seth's presence fade just as his sister's had._

He didn't even have to cross the woods onto his property to know that Bella wasn't at his house. He howled again as the anger washed over him and he cut across the boundary line making a straight line for Charlie's house.

He pulled his beast back into his body, a struggle to complete when he was shaking with anger, as he exited the woods beside his car. He ripped open the door and pulled a pair of jeans from the back seat and pulled them up his legs and then stormed up the front stairs. He was thankful that Charlie hadn't come back home yet as he entered the house.

"BELLA!" He roared as he neared the bottom of the stairs. He could hear her sniffling upstairs and he took the stairs climbing them three at a time, "BELLA!" He yelled again as he neared the top.

"Leave me alone Jake! Just leave me alone." He saw her then, her suitcase spread open on the bed, clothing laying half in and half out of the box.

"What are you doing?" He asked, the stupidity of his question hitting him after it slipped from his mouth chilling his anger for a moment.

"What does it look like?" She replied never taking her eyes from the dresser.

"Oh, hell no! You aren't leaving." he felt his anger bubble to the surface again. He was sick and tired of her running from him. He wasn't giving up that easy this time.

"Watch me."

"I'm done with this!" He grabbed the suitcase off the bed and threw it out the door. He heard it as it slid down the stairs.

"Jake! God you-" She stared up at him, "I hate you."

He laughed humorlessly, "You can lie about a lot of things Bella, but that's one thing you can't lie about."

"What-? Never mind I don't care," She moved passed him to get her suitcase.

"Don't you dare." He growled slowly, each word their own warning; his wolf wasn't about to let her walk out of his life again.

"Watch me." She shot back again.

She yelped and jerked back as he slammed his hand against her bedroom door, slamming it shut, trapping her in the room. "You aren't leaving." His body was shaking as he looked down at her.

"Well I'm sure as hell not staying here! Now get out of my way." Bella's voice cracked as she held back her anger but she saw the shaking and took a step away from him.

"You are going to stay here and listen to me. I have something that I've been waiting to tell you for years and if I have to tie your ass to the fucking chair I'm going to tell you."

"I'm not listening to anything you have to say, I'm done with this."

"God you are so stubborn, just shut up and listen to me." She snorted at him but did what he asked. "I want to know why you left."

"What? I thought you had something to say to me. Say it, then leave." She turned her back on him and he saw red.

"Answer my god damn question." His heart ache was slowly burning into the rage that was pumping through his veins and he was suddenly very grateful that he had been able to take out some of the pent up frustration on that leech, because he would have been unable to control his anger without it.

"Which fucking time?" She spun on him and he felt his anger slowly cool again as he saw the tears resting softly on the rim of her eyes.

"This time." He forced out.

"Because," She paused and exhaled loudly, "God Jake! I can't do this!" She turned back to the closet her shoulders shaking with the force of her sobs.

"You can't do what?" With each tear his anger was washed away.

"This!" She moved from the closet to the bed with an arm full of clothes.

"I don't know what _this_ means."

"Pretending with you." His brows knitted together and she continued when she realized that he didn't know what she was talking about, "Pretending that I can have a forever with you."

"What- Wait, I'm confused."

"GOD! And you call _ME_ hardheaded? I can't stay here and continue to fall for you knowing that one day she will come along and there won't be a damn thing that I can do about it. I will have to watch you walk away from me." Her words were hard to understand through her tears as she turned away from him.

"She who, Bella? Who are you talking about?"

"Your imprint Jake, I won't keep you from her, and I can't be here when you find her." She replied and when she turned back to him her face was ashen with her grief.

"Bella!" He moved from the door and wrapped his arms around her, "Oh god, baby." He rocked her against him, "That's why you left? You left because you thought that I would imprint on someone else?"

"Yes," She hiccuped, "I loved Edward and I watched him walk away from me, but I can't and I won't watch you walk away from me. I can't survive _that_ heartbreak." She pushed on his chest trying to push away from him.

"No. Listen to me, God if you have _ever_ listened to me, listen to me now." He sat down on the bed, taking Bella with him pulling her into his lap. He dried her face with his hands, "Bella, I love you more than anything in this world. I imprinted on you the first day I saw you after I changed." She gasped and stared into his eyes as he spoke, "I wanted to tell you, I wanted to scream it from the mountaintop but Sam was Alpha then and he wouldn't let me. He- hell I don't know why he didn't let me tell you but then you left and I couldn't. Baby there will never be anyone other than you, there has never been anyone but you."

He should have seen it coming, he thought a few minutes later after his face stopped stinging from Bella's slap. He stared at her as she paced across the room from him, "You imprinted on me years ago and you didn't tell me?"

"I couldn't."

"Bull shit!" Bella replied never stopping her pace. "You could have told my dad, or your dad whatever."

"Yes I could have, but would it have made a difference if I did?"

She turned to him then and he saw the fire in her eyes, "Would it have-" She growled and crossed the room to stand in front of him. He winced as she fisted her hands in his hair and tilted his head toward her, "Yes! I would have come right home! I would have never been gone, I'd never have left if I knew that!"

Jake sighed his eyes closing against the weight of what could have been, "I'm sorry."

Bella blinked back tears, "Oh, Jake! I am too." She sat down on his legs and wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she leaned into him and groaned as her body shook with her tears.

"Bella," He attempted to sooth her with his words, using his body rocking back and forth as he ran his hands up and down her back.

After a few minutes her tears slowed and he heard her voice as she repeated over and over again, "I'm sorry."

"Bella, baby." He released her and forced her look at him, "Shh," He dried her tears with his hands again, his own eyes wet as he smiled down at her, "Baby there is nothing to apologize for, we start from here."

"But," She hiccuped then inhaled deeply and Jake shushed her by shaking his head.

"No buts. This is how it was supposed to be." He palmed her cheek and pressed his lips against her, "You are my heart," He whispered against her lips.

"As you are mine." She whispered and they groaned as Jake deepened the kiss.

He pushed her away before he stood, "We can't do this here." He took her hand and lead her toward the door. "Oh damn. Stay here." He released her hand and bounded down the stairs retrieving her suitcase and it's spilled contents from the floor.

"I'd forgotten about that." Bella said as he topped the stairs a few minutes later.

"I had too. Get you a few changes of clothes." He said as he placed his burden on the bed.

"What?" Bella asked as she followed Jake into her bedroom.

"Get you a few change of clothes, just a couple of days." He replied as he sat down on the bed, his left leg jumping rapidly.

"What- I don't understand. Why do I need to pack?" She took him in, and shook her head.

Jake sighed. He didn't want to have to explain this to her, but he knew he would have to, "Okay," He inhaled deeply, "Come here." He pulled her to sit across his legs, "You are my imprint." She nodded and smiled brightly, "I love you, and I know you love me but the animal in me has to mark you, make you mine."

"Okay, you aren't going to lift a leg and pee on me are you?" She asked with an impish grin.

"If you don't shut up and listen to me I might." He replied with his own grin, "When an imprint is made, acknowledged between two people a mark occurs." She stared at him saying nothing, "It might take hours, it might take days we never know how long it will take for the wolf to be satisfied."

She licked her lips and looked down at her lap, "You're talking about sex aren't you?"

"Yes, I can't leave here without you, and when we get home... well you aren't leaving until I'm done with you."

"So that's why you had to call Embry?"

"Yeah," he replied with a nod.

"So if he hadn't been... done he would have had to stop and come to the bonfire anyway?" Bella asked never looking up at him.

"No," She looked up at him with his answer, "If his wolf hadn't been satisfied he wouldn't have come, he couldn't have come."

"Really?"

"Really, you know most of the wolf stuff we just kinda hang on with, we don't know why we know what we know, or do what we do we just do it. So please before I explode will you pack two days of clothes."

"Okay." He sensed the tense set of her shoulders but let it slide for the time being making a mental note to question her about it later, much much later.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The Dance

"Did you leave a note for Charlie?" Jake asked as they stopped in the foyer before they left Charlie's house after Bella packed her bag.

"Yeah, I told him what you said to tell him." Jake watched her as her eyes dances around the room never landing on him.

"Bella?" He called her name, and when he took her hand in his, her eyes shut. He waited for her to look up at him and when she didn't he called to her again, "Look at me."

Slowly, painfully so she looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just worried what Charlie will think." She replied easily.

He could understand that, and if Charlie didn't know about the imprint he would have been worried about the same thing, "Charlie knows baby."

Her eyes widened, "And he didn't tell me?"

He smiled as her face reddened, "He didn't know for sure until right before you came so there was no reason to tell you then."

"Oh." She replied softly, her color going back to normal.

He loved that her reaction was always so easily read, he knew she hated it but he cherished each and every blush that blossomed onto her face. He dropped her bag to the floor and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "God I love that I can do this." he whispered before he lowered his lips to hers. When she groaned into his embrace he deepened the kiss and she swallowed his moan of pleasure.

When he pulled from the kiss he was pleasantly surprised to see that they were both breathless. "Come on baby." He released her, took her hand in his, lifted her bag from the floor and pulled her out the door behind him.

Jake smiled as he held open Bella's door for her and she smiled but said, "You are going to catch a cold."

Jake grinned, "I haven't had a cold since I was 15, I think I can handle the cold." He replied wiggling his bare toes against the cool grass beneath his feet beside the car.

She nodded and pulled on her seat belt as he circled the car. He tossed her bag into the back seat and settled himself into the front seat. He smiled at her as he pulled out of the driveway. Once they were on the main road between Forks and La Push Jake pulled his cell phone out of the console between the seats.

"I've got to call dad."

"Okay." Bella replied turning her attention back to the darkened world flashing by.

Jake sighed, he knew something was going on with Bella but he didn't have the time to figure it out right now, but he vowed to himself that he would find out as soon as they got to the cabin his wolf would just have to wait.

Jake dialed his Dad's number and waited for him to pick up the phone.

"Hello."

"Dad, I need the keys to the tribal cabin." Jake said as he slowed to make a turn.

"Why?" Billy asked a smile in his voice.

"You know why old man. We are on the way to your house now."

"Okay." Billy sighed, "Do you think it's safe there?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sue called and said there was a leech tonight, do you think some place that secluded will be safe?"

"Oh," Jake replied. He hadn't really been thinking about that to be honest, "I don't know. As far into the reservation as it is, I can't believe we would be in any danger."

"Well, perhaps. I will have a patrol schedule set out for tonight just in case."

"Dad I don't-"

"Shut up son, I'm not asking for permission. You might be Alpha, but I am still Chief."

Jake grinned widely, "Okay."

"I'll have them ready for you when you get here."

"Sounds good, see you in a few minutes." Jake replied and ended the call. He placed the phone between his legs and reached across the seat to take Bella's hand in his. She jumped at the contact and he sighed again. "Bella what is wrong?"

"Nothing." She replied and looked back at him.

He could taste the lie on his tongue and he glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road, "I know that's a lie, now tell me what is wrong so I can fix it."

"I'm just nervous."

"About what?"

She laughed a humorless laugh and looked at him, "Everything Jake."

He smiled and ran his thumb over the back of her hand tenderly, "Everything will be okay baby. I swear that to you now. I will make sure of it."

She sighed, and he knew she didn't relax back she was at least breathing normally again.

Jake pulled to a stop outside his Dad's house and turned the car off, "Come on."

"I'm not going in." Bella replied incredulously.

"What do you mean?"

"Billy knows what we are about to do, there is no way I'm going in there."

Jake laughed, "Bells, he knew what was going to happen the minute I told him was coming home. It's okay, we are adults. We aren't the teenagers we used to be."

"I don't care, I'm not going in there."

"Yes you are." He turned to face her, seriousness written on his face.

"I said no."

"And I say that I will come around and drag you into that house if I have to. I am not leaving here until you have seen my father. He will want to see you, you are going to be his daughter even more now."

"Jake, please."

"You can beg all you want, but you have to do this." Bella sighed and released her seat belt, "Thank you." Jake said softly.

"Yeah." Bella replied her embarrassment making her body ache.

Jake climbed from the car and made his way around to Bella's door and took her hand in his as they made their way toward the front porch.

"Dad!" Jake called as he pushed open the front door.

"God, I'm old not deaf." Billy called as he rolled out of his bedroom toward Jake and Bella.

"Sorry." Jake replied sheepishly.

"No you aren't." Billy stated as he came to a stop in front of Bella, "Bella, you are shaking like a leaf." Billy looked up at Jake then back at Bella. Jake shrugged and pulled her close to his side.

"Baby, I'm going to get some clothes, I will be right back okay?" Jake lifted Bella's reddened face to his and she nodded softly. "I love you."

She smiled and he saw the light in her eyes brighten, "I love you too." He pressed his lips to hers chastely and then turned toward his old bedroom.

"I will be right back." Billy said to Bella then followed Jake. "What did you do to that poor girl?" Billy whispered as he pushed into Jake's bedroom.

"What are you blathering about old man?" Jake asked not turning his attention from his duffel bag.

"She's scared to death."

"I don't know," Jake finally turned toward his father, "I didn't do anything to her. I haven't touched her."

"Don't you _**dare**_ fuck this up." Billy spat out.

"Fucking hell, dad." Jake stared down at his father, "I think I can handle this part of it. She is my imprint."

"She may be your imprint but she is scared to death right now and _you _don't know why."

Jake sighed when he realized how true his father's words were, "What do I do?"

Billy laughed, "Don't you dare get nervous too."

Jake sat down heavily on the side of the bed, "I'm not nervous about _that_ part of it. I just don't want to scare her to death."

"Just take it slow, it will all work out."

Jake ran his hand down his face, "Yeah. Okay." He pushed to his feet and pulled his duffel bag onto his shoulder. "Here goes everything."

"Isn't that the truth." Billy replied as he rolled out of his son's bedroom.

45 minutes later Jake looked over his shoulder as Bella reentered the main room of the cabin.

"Did you find everything you needed?" He asked after he blew on the smoldering fire forcing it to burn brighter hoping it would take this time.

"Yes." She replied and pulled her feet into the couch after sitting down behind Jake, "Can you still not get it going?"

"What can I say? I'm a wolf not a pyromaniac." He replied with a laugh. He relaxed as he heard her laugh behind him, pleased that a hot shower had relaxed her.

He wanted her so badly that he could barely breathe around it, but he didn't want her to be scared the entire time. If he had to spend two days with her working past her nerves then he would. Just the fact that she knew, and she was here was more than enough for him, at least for now.

He continued his ministrations on the fire and before long it was roaring warming the two room cabin pleasantly.

Jake sighed as he tightened his arm around Bella's shoulder. He pressed his lips against her head and knew that he had to broach the subject, "Bella?"

"Hmm?" She asked from her spot against his shoulder her fingers tracing patterns on his shirt.

"Come here." He pushed on her and guided her to straddle his lap. He rested his hand on her hips and smiled at her as she looked at him. "Please know that I love you."

"I know you do." She replied quickly. "And I love you too."

"But there is something wrong and I need you to tell me what it is." He stared at her, he was determined to get whatever was wrong out of her.

"It's not that something is wrong, I'm just nervous. I don't want to mess up."

"Mess up? You mean us?" She nodded and he smiled, "Baby, we are destined to be together. I'm not leaving you, ever. Hell I couldn't if I wanted to, which I don't."

"I just want it to be good for you."

"Baby," He grinned widely, "It's you. Trust me there will never be anything that will ever be better for me than to be with you. I wanted you for years before I ever changed."

"I know." She whispered a small smile playing on her lips, "I just don't know what you will like."

"Well that's half the fun. I don't know what you like either but I'll have fun finding out. I promise we will go slow, okay?" He pulled her forward and pressed his lips to her forehead, "Just let me love you."

She took a deep breath and he felt her relax, "Okay."

Jake's wolf howled so loudly in his head he was shocked that she hadn't heard it and he smiled hoping it didn't look as predatory as it felt. "Where do you want to be?"

She looked up at him then, "What?"

He grinned slyly, "Ladies choice. Bed, couch or in front of the fireplace."

Bella giggled and her face blushed bright red, "Oh," She licked her lips, "The fireplace will be too hot," He nodded, he had thought the same thing but it was her choice, "And the couch is way too small."

"So bed?" He supplied and she nodded shyly. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and stood from the couch. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck as he moved across the wide room to the king side bed that stood against the opposite wall.

He knelt onto the bed and lowered her gently to the feather filled mattress. She held onto him tightly and he moved slightly to press his lips against hers. She moaned into his mouth and he shivered above her. "I love you so much." He whispered against her lips as he pulled from her.

"I love you too." She replied and let him pull from her body. She watched, fascinated as he pulled his shirt up and over his head, "You are so beautiful." She whispered honestly as she stared up at his body.

"No, you are beautiful."

She blushed and shook her head. She continued to stare at him as he lifted her leg and pulled her socks from her feet. When he moved his hands up her legs he felt her tense, "I promise baby, we will go slow." She nodded and lifted her hips letting him pull her linen pants down her legs. He didn't stop until she lie below him in only her panties, "My god you are beautiful." He muttered as he leaned over her pressing his lips against hers slowly, softly taking the time to taste her.

He lowered his body to hers, letting her feel his weight against her and he grinned as she sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. He propped his elbows on the bed beside her head and smiled down at her. "What?" She asked a few seconds later.

"Nothing." He replied shaking his with a smile.

"Oh, no if I had to tell you, you have to tell me."

He chuckled, "I just wanted to remember this moment. The moment that I never thought I'd live to experience."

"Jake, I always loved you and we would have found each other eventually." She stated, realizing as she said it that she believed it completely.

"You sound like you know that for a fact." He stated as he ran his thumbs along her cheeks and her temples.

"I do." She replied softly, "Honestly, how much longer would you have waited until you came to find me?"

He smiled, "Not much longer. I can't say that it would have been as sweet and gentle as this will be."

She blushed, "You were getting mad at me?"

"Not mad, just tired of waiting. Somehow deep inside I knew you loved me, and I needed you so desperately, I just don't know how much longer I could have stood to live my life without you in it."

"Well Mr. Jacob Black you don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Thank the Gods." He replied and lowered his lips to hers again.

He deepened the kiss, palming the back of her head to tilt it to the perfect angle. He slowly, reluctantly pulled from her lips and moved to her neck lapping at the skin, pulling on it gently until he skidded across a spot directly beneath her ear that made her gasp. He grinned widely as he nipped on the skin, and her hips rocked up against his stomach.

"Jake!" She whispered as he laved the spot.

"Yes?" He replied against the spot, refusing to release it. He chuckled when she didn't reply and moved to the skin between her shoulder and neck and bit down on it gently. She groaned, her head falling to the side and he repeated his actions before moving further down her body wanting to find all of the spots that made her call his name.

He settled himself between her legs, her core against his stomach as he propped himself above her breasts. He kissed the amazingly soft skin, inhaling deeply of her scent. He pinched each of her nipples gently watching her face as her hands came to a rest on his forearms. He lowered his head to her right breast pressing kisses on all sides but not touching the now stiff nipples.

"Jake, please." She whispered, her breath catching.

"What do you need baby?" He asked as he kissed along the bottom of her breast, his tongue following the crease where it met her chest.

"Don't tease me," She replied just as softly.

"I'm not, baby. I'm taking it slow." He reminded her, and he was going to if it killed him.

"Not that slow." He chuckled, his eyes drifting shut and he lifted his head and pulled her nipple into his mouth, laving it with his tongue. She gasped, her fingers lacing into his hair and she moaned his name.

His cock jerked in his jeans, trying to drill it's way out of the denim confines at the sounds of his name on her lips and he groaned. He pulled on her nipple again before turning to the other and repeating the same movements, earning himself another moan and an even harder cock.

He moved further down her body, unable to resist the pull of her womanhood. He had to taste her, feel her against his tongue as he had imagined so many times before. He kissed his way down her stomach, nipping at her belly button as he passed it, causing her to giggle.

He pressed his mouth against her lace covered mound and inhaled, drowning in her. He pulled her panties down her legs and threw them off the bed.

She sighed as he kissed from one hip to the other and when he pushed her legs open she tensed against him again. "Baby?" He whispered kissing the top of her mound.

"I'm okay." She replied, inhaling deeply.

He nodded, and pressed another kiss against her flesh before he dipped his head and slid his tongue over her moistened flesh. He inhaled deeply, reveling in the fact that he had caused this arousal. He felt his male pride grow as he pressed his tongue against her folds and he slipped into her tasting her essence at it's source.

"Jake!" Her voice was breathy and soft but it echoed in his head, his heart.

"I'm here baby." He whispered moving up and lapping at her clit, her hips rocking along with his movements.

He lowered his mouth again, moving to her core tasting her, unable to sate his need for her when it hit him. Something was... it wasn't wrong but it was something he hadn't expected. She tasted pure, untouched. He inhaled deeply, feeling like a fool but searching for another man's scent on her body. "Bella honey?" His voice rough with emotion already knowing the answer to his next question, "Are you a virgin?" He felt her tense beneath him and he moved up her body until he was leaning over her, his elbows propped against the bed beside her head.

Bella's eyes remained closed, and he willed them to open until he smelled her tears. "Baby." He ran his thumbs along her hair line looking down at her, before pressing his lips against hers softly "Why are you crying?"

"I wanted to be good for you."

"What? Oh god Bella that's not what I meant at all. I just- I thought." He didn't know what to say.

"No, Edward wouldn't, and then we never did and I fell in love with you and I couldn't find anyone else who I could even begin to care about let alone love so I just never." She sighed, "How lame am I? A twenty five year old virgin?"

"Bella there is _nothing_ wrong with that. I think it is the most beautiful thing about you. I can't believe that you would gift me something so amazing as this." He sighed, "I just wish I had it to give to you."

"Jake, I didn't expect you to wait for me." She wrapped her arms around his back, her nails pressing into him in her need to convey the honesty of her words, "I didn't know if we would ever be here, let alone about to do this. Please don't feel bad, someone has to know what they are doing right?" She said with a laugh and he felt the weight lift from his shoulders.

He chuckled, but as he stared down at his beautiful Bells he realized how huge this next step was, "Bella, I-" He didn't know what he wanted to say, or how to say it, "Are you sure you want to give this to me, now? I mean do you want to get married first?"

"No!" She shook her head. When he cocked an eyebrow she continued, "Marriage isn't always forever, and I want a forever with you."

"Bella," He knew her view on marriage, but he had to make her understand that she wasn't going anywhere. "I'm not going anywhere, whether I say I do in front of a million people or not."

"Can't we leave it at that?" She asked the fear shining brightly in her eyes.

"No," She smiled slowly up at him as he spoke, "But, I have to say this much then I can think I feel better about myself." She started to complain about his words and he shook his head, "If we do this, if I claim you, you have to do something for me."

"What?"

"You have to promise me that you will at least say yes to marrying me, even if we never get married and just live in sin for the rest of our lives."

She smiled up at him, "I like the thought of living in sin with you."

"So is that a yes? Can I officially introduce you as my fiance?" He asked, the seriousness of his voice showing on face.

She stared up at him and knew that no matter that she couldn't tell him no. If he had told her that she had to marry him before he would sleep with her, she would be looking for a white dress right now. She licked her lips and nodded. The smile that spread across his face was worth the years of hell she had spent without him. "I love you." He whispered as he lowered his lips to hers.

"I love you too."

"Oh, and tomorrow we are going ring shopping." He stated as he moved back down her body.

"What?" She yelped as he nipped at her belly button, "I didn't say anything about a ring."

"Too late now." He retorted with an evil smirk.

"Oh! You are- ooh!" Her complaint died on her lips, her throat tightened as he pulled her clit into his mouth flicking it quickly with his tongue.

He grinned against her as his name fell from her mouth in an almost constant line. He slid one finger into her body, unwilling to breech her completely with anything but his cock but knew that he would hurt her if he just took her. She keened loudly as he pressed inside her and her back arched as she shattered. He laved her body softly welcoming her back to earth gently and slowly her breath slowed. She sighed as he pulled from her body and kissed his way up her body.

"Bella?" He pressed his lips against her neck, her lips before he pushed onto his elbows and looked down at her.

"Hmm?" She asked her eyes hooded and he knew he'd never see a sight more beautiful in his life.

"Are you sure about this?" He watched as her eyes cleared and he hated that they had.

"Yes Jake. I'm sure."

He sighed, "You do know-"

"Jake, I'm old enough to know what's about to happen. It's going to hurt but I want you." She caressed his back and he sighed.

He pressed his lips to hers for a moment then pushed from her body. She pushed onto her elbows and stared at him as he kicked his boots off his feet and unbuttoned his jeans. He smirked at her through his lashes as he pushed the confining material from his body. She gasped as he stood before her naked.

Her eyes flew to his face, "What baby?" He asked as he knelt between her legs.

"You are beautiful." She whispered, her eyes still wide.

"And?" He grinned, knowing she was thinking more as he leaned over her on his hands.

"You're huge." He laughed his ego growing dangerously large, "Will it fit?" He chuckled and smiled softly.

"Yes baby, it will fit."

"You're sure?" She asked, only half joking.

"Positive."

She stuck her tongue out at him, "If you are sure."

He shook his head and chuckled happy that her nerves seemed to have faded but disturbed that his had tripled. He had never been with a virgin. He was terrified that he would hurt her, he knew that there was no way around it, but he just couldn't stand the thought of her looking back on this night and remembering the pain not the pleasure.

"Jake?" His eyes he didn't know had closed snapped open as she palmed his cheek, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She smiled up at him with a knowing smile, "Worried about hurting you."

"It's going to hurt no matter what." She replied, not exactly easing his fears.

"I know. I just want you to remember us not the pain."

"Jacob!" She admonished, "Are you serious?" He nodded slowly and she sighed, "I will never forget us tonight, no amount of pain could ever make me forget about this. I want you, I want to love you like this so please-" He growled and silenced her words by pressing his lips against hers.

She sighed and wound her arms around his neck and rocked her hips against him, her core pressing against his manhood and he growled. His hands flew to her hips, holding her still against him not knowing if he could control his need for her if she continued to press her moist curls against him.

"Please Jake, take me now. Claim me." She whispered as he suckled at her neck and his wolf howled possessively.

He pushed to his hands and adjusted himself until his head lay between her lips. They both sighed as he grasped his cock moving his cock head up and down her body wetting himself with her arousal. "Tell me if you want me to stop." He whispered glancing toward her face as he tightened his hold on his cock and pressed himself against her.

He stopped immediately as she gasped when he pressed his head into her, "No! Don't stop." She whispered shaking her head.

He nodded and continued pressing into her body so slowly that if he could feel her heat tightened around him he wouldn't know he was gaining any ground. His breath died in his lungs as she tightened against him. "You have to relax." He forced out, his mind spinning with lust as her body fought against his.

"I am." She whispered and he gritted his teeth as he pushed a little further her body only tightening more.

"Bells!"

"What? I'm trying!"

He was sure that if he didn't get inside her he was going to die, his entire body shook with the need to feel her around him and he growled. She moaned beneath him and he watched in awe as she rocked her hips against his length and neared her first orgasm. "Oh hell no." He growled unwilling to let her come without being inside her. He grunted, her eyes shooting open as he took both her legs in his hands and pushed them into his shoulder. She gasped as he opened her to him completely and pushed into her until he encountered the sign of her virginity. "I'm sorry baby." She shook her head and rested her hands on his forearms as he pulled from her slightly. He stared down at her for a second awaiting her permission. She nodded her head and he thrust himself into her. He pushed through her barrier, her nails biting into his forearms for just a moment and continued until he rested fully within her body.

"Jake!" She moaned a second later and he ground his teeth together as she rocked her hips against his. He groaned quietly as she continued moving beneath him her body tightening around him until he thought he would combust and she screamed his name as she came her body shuttering beneath him.

He held himself perfectly still unable to move knowing if he did he would follow her with his own release far too quickly.

"Jake please." Bella's whispered plea pushed away the last of his self control and they both groaned as he pulled from her body, pushing back into her warmth a second later.

He started his rhythm slowly, fear of hurting her weighing heavily on his mind. But just as Bella had always been able to get past his defenses her body's reaction to his movements pushed him to move faster, harder above her until she was keening loudly, her nails biting into his back deliciously. He pushed into her watching her body move beneath him, her back arching as he rotated his hips against her.

She seemed to know the instant his wolf took over as she looked up at him and pressed her lips against his, starting the ritual.

He took her hands in his and pulled them above her head, pressing her into the bed with his body. He stretched his entire body above her, moving his legs to the outside of hers pressing them together with his thighs until every inch of her body was covered with his. He rocked into her roughly, his mind whispering concern for her soft skin, his eyes never leaving hers as he pounded into her. She whimpered as her body tightened against him, her release pulling at her.

His voice was rough, a growl more than words, "You are mine. I claim you for mine always. I will forever love you, always fight for your happiness. You," her body's reaction to his words stole his breath for a moment, "You are my imprint for now and forever." He growled as she screamed her release, her voice echoing against the ceiling above them.

He moved a second later, settling himself between her thighs, wanting to feel her legs around his body and she groaned as he pushed into her fully. He felt his own release building a moment later and she groaned as he rocked into her his head resting on her shoulder. He whispered her name into her shoulder as she tightened around him, milking his cock as he swelled within her, filling her with his seed a moment later.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him to her tightly as his movements stilled above her.

"I've got to move." He whispered a second later worried he would crush her.

"Don't you dare move." She whispered and only tightened her hold upon him.

He chuckled and pressed his face against the side of her neck as he wrapped his arms around her.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: And Life Goes On

Jake growled deep in his throat as someone pounded on the front door of the cabin, it's sound echoing in the large room. He moved his head and buried his head in the pillow beneath him.

"Jake?" Bella's sleep deepened voice made Jake's heart race as she placed her hand on his arm that lay across her stomach. He smiled widely as he realized he would be able to hear it for the rest of his life.

"It's okay." He pushed his weight up to his arm, pulling from Bella and sat up on the bed. "I'm coming already!" He roared as another round of irritating thuds came from the front door and stood from the bed grumbling about his pack members all the way to the door. "What in the fucking hell do you want?" He growled as he pulled open the door to Quil and Embry's smiling faces.

"Hmm seems someone didn't get enough sleep last night." Quil stated with a smirk.

"It would appear that way." Embry replied with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

"What the fuck do you want." Jake leaned against the door as he heard the whine in his voice. It had been well past day light when he and Bella had fell to the bed the night before and he wanted nothing more than to go and bury himself in her warmth again.

Quil folded first, grinning widely he said, "Billy called us and told us."

"Okay?"

Embry chuckled, "I thought it would be nice to pull you away from your imprint too." He smirked as Jake growled.

"Stop provoking him." Quil said in a high pitched voice and they both laughed, "No, seriously the reason we are here so early in the afternoon. It's after one if you didn't know, is because you being all in control Alpha forgot to stop and get food for your little love nest."

"Oh." Jake replied realizing that he hadn't thought of food at all.

"So you can thank us later." Embry replied and lifted the three bags at his feet that Jake hadn't noticed.

"Thank you." Jake replied instantly and Embry nodded once. "Sorry for being such-"

Embry shook his head, "I did the same thing, I just hung up on you first."

Jake chuckled and took the bags as Quil stated, "Next time it might not be only us, put some clothes on."

Jake shook his head, "Nah you two are the only ones stupid enough, or crazy enough to show up here."

Quil nodded then smiled, "Yeah probably."

Jake smiled and looked at two best friends as they turned, amazed with how much his life had changed in the last week, "Thanks guys."

"We'll send you the bill." Quil said, throwing his hand in the air, as they made their way back toward Embry's truck.

"I'm sure you will." Jake replied softly as he pushed the door back together.

"Jake?" Jake smiled as he heard Bella's voice.

"Yeah, baby?" He called as he stepped into the main room, looking toward the bed, before turning toward the kitchen.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, the sheet pulled tightly to her chest.

He looked at her, taking in her beauty and nodded unable to form words around the dryness in his throat. He sat the bags down on the counter and watched as she smiled at him and slid from the bed.

He watched her as she pulled his shirt from the floor and pulled it over her head taking her beautiful body from his vision one inch at a time. He had never wanted to be a piece of cloth so bad in his life.

She moved through the living room, rounding the couch and stepped into the kitchen before Jake pulled her tightly against his body, "Hello beautiful." He whispered as his hands spread widely against her back.

She smiled up at him, her hands resting on his biceps, "Hi."

She giggled as his hands moved down her body and palmed her butt beneath his shirt, "Are you hungry?"

She smiled slowly, her eyes lowering and he felt his body tighten as she glanced up at him through her lashes, her nails biting into his arms gently, "Ravenous."

He growled as he palmed her waist and lifted her settling her on the edge of the counter in front of him, "You are going to be the death of me." He pressed his lips against hers, deepening the kiss the moment her mouth gave under his lips.

She groaned as he moved to her neck pulling on the skin roughly, her nails scratching the back of his head as he nipped her skin, "But-" She panted, unable to keep her mind on her thoughts as he pushed his shirt up her body, palming her breasts, "You will die a happy man."

"Ecstatic," He replied ripping the shirt up and over her head, unwilling to wait another moment to see her nakedness before him. He eased her back onto the counter, pushed open her legs and dove into her wetness before pulling her legs over his shoulder.

He lapped at her, pulling her clit into his mouth until she screamed his name, her body shaking, back arching against the wood beneath her.

He stood from her and pulled her still shuttering body to the edge of the counter before slowly sliding into her body. He paused, unwilling to hurt her already tender skin but she shook her head, "Don't stop." She whispered and Jake growled.

He pulled from her warmth only to return a second later, "Fuck yeah." He whispered as her body tightened against him. He started his rhythm, watching her body, her face as he moved within her pushing her body closer and closer to her release. He grinned as her nails bit into his arms and he rotated his hips just the way he knew would set her off and he wasn't disappointed as her back arched and his name echoed off the ceiling a second later.

His eyes drifted shut unable to watch her if he wanted this to last, her body so tightly wrapped around him, pulling at him in the most delicious ways.

"Yes Jake." His eyes snapped open as he heard her. She smiled up at him, "Come in me."

"Holy fucking hell." He groaned as he stared down at her as she palmed her own breast pulling at her nipples, "Oh fuck." He groaned as she rocked her hips up against his.

The sound of Bella's breathing, their bodies coming together, and the smell of her arousal was too much and Jake's head fell back as he pushed into her, over and over again.

"Come for me, Jake." He growled and was unable to control his hips as he pounded into her body. He knew he was going to leave bruises on her hips as he pulled her body tightly against him and it only seemed to push him harder, faster knowing that he was leaving a visible mark on her just as she had left one on him.

"FUCK!" He roared as he shoved himself deeply within her, his cock twitching inside her just before he exploded filling her body with his seed.

He didn't know how long he stood there his body still held tightly within hers before he heard her voice, "Bed." She whispered and he nodded. He slipped his hand beneath her lifting her from the counter. He sighed as her body pressed against his as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The feel of her breasts pressing freely against his chest, her thighs resting against his waist and her still shuttering warmth around him was the most amazing feeling in the world. He knew that no matter what joy and happiness, or sadness the fates had in store for him that he would never forget this moment as long as he lived, this feeling deep in his chest. A feeling of rightness that nothing could take from him, this is where he was supposed to be. He realized as he wrapped his arms tighter around her body before he knelt on the bed, there was nothing that he wouldn't do to stay right here.

"Jake?" Bella's voice pulled him from his internal ramblings. He released her long enough to pull back and look down at her face, "What's wrong?"

He shook his head, suddenly unable to speak around the emotions tightening his throat.

"Baby?" Worry painted her face and he inhaled a shaky breath.

"I'm okay." He whispered, his voice still shaky.

"No something is wrong, tell me." She placed her hand on the side of his face and looked deep into his eyes, seeming to see through everything in him to the heart of his soul.

He moved until he lay on top of her, his arms resting beside her head and spoke only as his thumbs smoothed the skin over her cheek bones, "I just realized how much I love you, and what all I am willing to do keep you."

She smiled brightly and chuckled softly, "You just have to be you to keep me. I'm not going anywhere, ever again, without you."

"But," He inhaled thickly again, his chest tightening, "You live in Florida, I'm in New York."

She nodded, "And I will quit my job and move to New York with you. I'm not happy without you, I wasn't happy in Miami."

He smiled as she finished and voiced the thing that he had only thought of once since returning home, "And if I wanted to move back here?"

"I'd stop at every store between Miami and here to buy rain coats, umbrellas and galoshes." She grinned and slid her arms up and around his neck, "Jacob Ephraim Black, you aren't getting rid of me. You are stuck with me."

He smiled down at her, but his face darkened as his mood went serious again, "I just want you to be happy baby. I'll be happy where ever you are."

"I feel the same way, but please lets not worry about this right now. We have the rest of our lives to figure out where we want to live and what we want to do. Right now I want to eat, then I want a shower and then," She smiled up at him and he felt his body harden within her again.

"Does it matter what order those occur in?" He asked as he pulled from her body and slowly pushed back into her taking her breath from her. She shook her head and pulled his lips down to hers as he started moving faster into her body.


End file.
